Right or Wrong?
by luv2beloved
Summary: Bella, a rape victim, now pregnant escapes from Phoenix and her mothers decisions to start a new life in Forks with her father. Uncertain if she has made the right or wrong choice, that is until she meets the Cullens. Slightly OOC, AU, Cannon Pairing
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I am not really sure where this story is going to go. I had an idea come and I am letting it fly out of my mind and onto the paper. Please let me know what you all think…**

**Summary: AU to Twilight. Bella Swan had to make a choice, one of right or wrong. Canon pairing and Vampires.**

**Preface**

There are times in our lives that we sometimes need to step up and do what is right. Sometimes it may not be what we want to do, but in the end, you know that it is the right thing to do. Of course, what you think is the right thing can end up being the wrong thing. However, you do not know that it is the wrong thing until it is too late. Then, when it is too late, you are unable to make changes to make it right again.

Then there is doing the right thing for the wrong reasons and vice versa. But how does one really know what the right thing is, when so many people are telling you that it's wrong?

That is, until one person walks into your life and you realize that it doesn't matter anymore - right or wrong. In the end, all that matters is just doing it.

This is my story. Of a wrong, trying to make it right, to find out it was wrong, until _he_ told me that it was all right.

**Chapter 1**

I held the small white stick in my hands, trying hard to stop the tremors that had been racking my body since that night almost two months ago. I did not want to think about it. I tried every day to close it out, constantly thinking of other things to make that night disappear. But now, as I held the small plastic in my hands, the memory of that night came barreling back with tremendous speed and force. I can almost feel it, taste it, and hear it, as though it were happening all over again.

The small blue line began to slide up the stick, to let me know that it was working. My inner self was saying, no praying, that it was going to be negative. It _had_ to be negative. I was only seventeen years old and a victim of…

I sighed as I wiped a tear from my eyes. I couldn't even say the word.

"Bella," I heard my mother, Renee, yell from down the hall of our small apartment in Phoenix. "You're going to be late for school! Hurry up!"

"I'm…um…coming," I hollered back, my voice weak.

I could make out my mother's footsteps on the hardwood floor and knew that she had more than likely caught onto the tone - or lack of - in my voice. I heard the soft tap on the door and quickly moved my hands behind my back.

"Bella, are you alright?" Renee asked from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, mom, I'm fine," I stammered, quickly looking for a place to hide the pregnancy test. I hadn't said anything to anyone and still was not ready to do so.

I watched as my mother began to turn the knob and slowly open the door. I knew that she would be able to see right through my facade and have an idea of what was wrong. I made an impulsive decision, not even realizing what was coming out of my mouth until I heard it myself.

"I want to go live with Charlie," the words came out quickly, throwing my mother off guard.

Renee stopped in mid stride and looked at me like I had officially gone off the deep end.

"Bella," her lips pursed together, the thick brows over her eyes coming together to make a frown. "I know that my marriage to Phil has been hard on you. I have seen the changes in you the past couple of months. But, I think that we can work this out. We'll talk about it tonight at dinner."

"I'm not going to school," I said quietly. Momentarily forgetting the pregnancy test in my hand, I turned around to face the mirror. The little white stick fell down, hitting the floor with a deafening clank in the small porcelain room.

My mother's eyes dropped from my face and then to the thin plastic stick on the ground. She knelt down and picked it up, her eyes wide as she read the results that I had yet to see for myself.

"Bella?" Renee's voice was quiet, she sounded scared, uncertain.

I swallowed hard and tucked a strand of my mahogany hair behind my ear, turning slowly to face her and the stick that had already changed my life.

My mother's face had changed drastically. Her pale skin had become even paler, if that was even possible. Her eyes were wide and dark. But what scared me the most was the disappointment written all over it.

"What is this?" she asked, holding the stick up n the air and I could see the pink plus sign waving at me.

I closed my eyes, fighting the tears. "A pregnancy test," I whispered.

"I can see that. What I don't understand is why?"

"I don't want to talk about it," my voice still low. "I'm not ready. Please, mom."

"Who's the father?"

I lowered my eyes, my long dark lashes covering the fear that I knew Renee could see and more than likely sense. "I don't know."

I heard Renee take in a sharp breath and chances were she was covering her mouth. She let the breath out slowly and then came to place a hand on my shoulder, giving me a small, gentle squeeze.

"Finish getting dressed," she started. "We are going to take care of the problem right now."

I popped my head up and looked at her bright eyes, confused as to what she was really talking about.

Renee let out another small breath. "You are too young to be a mother, and the fact that you don't even know who the father is concerns me. So, we will go down to the clinic. Within an hour, we can put this all behind us."

I nodded my head numbly, not sure if "putting this behind us" would truly work. I walked out of the bathroom and then proceeded down the hall to my room where I picked up my backpack and took out my school books. I placed my wallet and iPod into my bag along with a couple of books and a change of clothes for just in case.

I looked around my room one last time and then closed the door softly behind me. I saw my mother already waiting by the front door, purse and car keys in hand.

The drive to the clinic was a quiet one. I knew that Renee wanted to ask questions, but thankfully she kept quiet. My eyes still stung with unshed tears as we drove through downtown Phoenix.

I saw the small brick building off to the right and fortunately, I had prepared myself for the possibility of seeing picketers out front, holding signs and chanting loudly to all of those that drove by.

We parked in the parking garage and began the walk that somehow felt like walking the plank over a sea of hungry sharks.

I tried to keep my eyes down, but it was difficult. All the brightly colored signs, the pamphlets that were being handed out. My eyes saw it all.

_Abortion Kills!_

_You're a murder!_

_Give life a chance!_

All the sayings were about being against abortion, very few were about the woman's choice.

I began to get this ache in my heart. Something deep down was telling me that this was not the way "to put it behind us." I had other choices, the baby had other choices.

I turned and looked at my mother, who was walking tall, her head straight, eyes not seeing anything. But I saw it all.

We came to the front door, my mother opening it and holding it for me to pass through. I walked in, but I knew that I was not going to be staying long.

I took a seat, while Renee took charge of filling out paperwork, turning over the insurance card. Eventually she came and sat down next to me.

"Um, mom, I need to go the bathroom," I said, standing up. I did not even wait for her to let me know it was okay, I just began to follow the signs for the restroom.

But instead of going into the door marked for women, I turned on my heel and went through the door marked EXIT.

Once outside in the blazing Arizona sun, I bolted. I ran for my life and now the life that I knew was quickly growing inside of me. I rounded a few corners until I could see a taxi parked outside the mall. I banged on the window and then opened the door.

"To the airport," I said, slamming the door behind me, breathing hard.

I looked out the window as the cab driver merged into the traffic, wondering if my mother had realized yet that I was taking far too long.

I placed my hand on my flat stomach and began to rub small circles. This felt right, the other option felt wrong.

I didn't really know where I could go, but figured I would start with Charlie's house.

At the airport, I walked to the ticket counter and requested a ticket to Seattle, Washington. From there I would need to take a small plane to Port Angeles.

This might not be the right decision, in fact, it might be a very wrong one, but it was a decision that I could live with. At least for right now.

I lowered myself into the seat and closed my eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The plane ride was smooth and in my opinion, too short. I stood on the sidewalk of the Port Angels Community airport, the rain coming down in a soft mist, trying to figure out exactly what to do next. It is not every day that the daughter that you rarely see, shows up on your front step. I let out a heavy breath and walked toward the yellow cab that was waiting to take someone like me, somewhere.

"Can you take me to Forks?" I asked the driver who was standing outside smoking a cigarette.

He looked me up and down before finally nodding his head. He opened the back door for me and I slide in, thankful that it was warm. In my haste this morning I did not bother with grabbing a sweater. I honestly did not think I would need it.

I clutched my backpack to my chest; all of my worldly processions now could be put into one black JanSport bag. The tears began to brim over my eyes again as I realized how much of this plan was actually thought out. All I had with me was a change of clothes, a few hundred dollars, wallet and some of my favorite books.

I could already picture Charlie standing on the front step looking at me like a drowned cat, abandoned by its owner.

I watched as we pulled out of Port Angeles and made our way to the highway. The scenery here is nothing like that of Phoenix. Here, in the tiny town of Forks, Washington, it is wet, raining, clean and green. Back home, it is dry, hot, dirty, and brown. As opposite as night and day.

"Where to?" The cabbie asked looking at me from the review mirror.

I quickly gave him the address to Charlie's house. The driver made a few turns and eventually we pulled into the drive way of the home that Renee and Charlie shared for the length of their very short marriage. I threw a few bills over the seat and gather my bag.

I saw that the police cruiser was parked out front and a few lights on.

I walked up the short walk and climbed the three steps to the door. I put my hand up to knock on the door, I bit down on my lip. Nervous about what to tell Charlie. I have not seen him since summer vacation. What does a daughter say to a father that she does not have much of a relationship with? Especially, if said father is the Chief of Police. There was only one way to find out.

I knocked heavily, hoping that he would be able to hear me, if he was in fact asleep.

I took a step back as I heard the door unlock and then saw my father stand in the low light, his figure towering above me. Or so it seemed.

"I'm in trouble, daddy," I said as soon as the door was open and before he had a chance to speak.

Charlie's face twisted in confusion. Not sure if it was the site of me standing on his front porch or the fact that I called him daddy something I have not done since I was six.

"Bella?" he asked, his voice low, almost as if he was not sure if he should be talking at all. "What are you doing here?"

"I…didn't know…" I let my voice trail off.

Charlie stepped aside. "Come in, you must be freezing."

I nodded my head and walked inside the small house. The warmth was a welcome feeling. At first all I could do was just look at the ground. My father and I were never meant to do much talking, let alone touching. I could tell that he was just as mystified about what to do with me, as I was. But I could sense that he knew something was wrong, something big.

He walked clumsily toward me and put a hand on my shoulder, giving me a comforting squeeze. "Why don't you go take a shower and I will make you some soup. Then if you are up to it, we can talk."

I lifted my head and looked at him. I do not know what possessed me to do what I did next, but like everything else so far today, it felt right. I leaned into his touch and wrapped my arms around his waist. He stiffened from the touch, but eventually he relaxed and put both of his arms around me, giving me a hug, only a father could give. I pulled away after a minute and turned on my heel to head up the stairs.

I opened the door to my old room, thankful for once the familiarity of it. I placed my backpack on my bed and began to put the few things that I had away. I opened up my dresser and saw that my father put a few things that I have left on previous trips were in the drawer. I grabbed a clean shirt and turned to look at the same blue walls of my childhood. Nothing much has changed in this room.

I walked across the hall and took a long hot shower. I scrubbed and scrubbed until I felt like I was clean, even though deep down I felt dirty and I would probably continue to feel that way for the rest of my life. I climbed out of the tub, being careful to have my foot squarely placed on the bathmat, so I would not slip and fall. I wrapped the towel around me and then picked up one of my old hair brushes. It felt good. This, right now, felt right.

I went back to my room and quickly dressed. Taking the stairs one step at a time I could begin to smell the chicken soup that Charlie was heating up. I sat down in one of the old unmatched kitchen chairs and placed my head on my arms. Finally realizing how tired I was and how long that this day ended up being.

Charlie's back was facing me has he took a deep and heavy breath. "I called Renee to let her know that you were here."

I didn't say anything. I figured that he would.

"She's worried about you," Charlie continued. "But she did not go into very many details. I have the feeling that she doesn't truly know all the details."

I nodded my head as I watch him turn and look at me, a small bowl of soup in his hands.

He placed it on the table in front of me and then took a seat across the table to look at me. I could tell that he was studying me, not the way a father would, but more like the way a cop would study a victim or suspect. I lowered my head and shielded my face with my hair. More from an act of shame than anything else.

"Well, I guess we should at least start with the basics," Charlie said as he watches me take a small bite of soup. "How long do you plan on staying?"

"As long as you will have me," I said quietly. "I can't go back."

"Okay, I will plan on getting you enrolled in school at Forks High first thing Monday morning. School is just starting back up from winter break, so you shouldn't be missing much."

I nodded my head in agreement.

"I saw that you did not bring much with you, I guess I should take the day off tomorrow and take you shopping. Get you a coat at least."

"Char…Dad," I started. I knew that if I am going to be living here, he needed to know the truth, or at least some of it.

Charlie looked up at me. "Yes, Bells?"

"I need to tell you something, but I'm not sure how. I couldn't even tell mom."

"You can tell me anything," he smiled weakly. "I have the feeling it is about why you ran."

I nodded and took in a deep breath; it was going to be now or never. "I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't keep going to school and seeing them."

He cocked his head to the side, curiosity was written all over it. "Bella, did something happen?"

"Yes," my voice sounded more like a mouse. "I'm pregnant, dad."

I watched as Charlie's face changed a few shades of red. I could see the questions in his eyes, the some one's that mom had a this morning.

"I can leave if you want," I went to stand but felt his hand rest on top of mine.

"No, you won't," he said sternly. "What happened?"

I swallowed hard as the memories of that night came piercing through my mind. It hurt. The tears rolled slowly from my eyes and I think my father knew instantly as to what happened with just one glace. He stood up and for the second time that night he hugged me. I felt him rub his hand up and down my back.

"Did you report it?" He asked.

I shook my head and I could hear him blow out a heavy breath. I pushed back and brushed the tears off of my face.

"I just found out. It happened two months ago. Mom, she took me to a clinic, but I couldn't…"

I watch Charlie nod his head in understanding.

We stood in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before he guided me back to the table. I sat and finished my soup. I washed my bowl and then sat back down at the table. I knew that we had a lot to discuss, but I had the feeling that Charlie was going to just play it by ear.

"I guess I will head up to bed. It's been a long day. I love you, dad."

He didn't say anything as I climbed back up the stairs, there was no need to say anything. I was broken and he did not know how to fix me, if there was even a way to fix me.

Just like all the other nights since my life took a turn for the worse, I had the same dream.

"_Shh," he whispered in my ear. "Bella, it's just me."_

I shot up out of bed in a cold sweat. Shaking, trying to figure out my surroundings. I could hear the faint sound of the rain outside and realized that I was at Charlie's.

I pulled the blanket up tight around my chin and tried to go back to sleep, but I knew that it would be a wasted effort. I reached over and pulled my watch off the night stand and groaned when I realized it was three in the morning.

Eventually sleep took me. I woke with a start when I heard a slight tapping on the door.

"Bella," Charlie said through the door.

"Yeah, Dad, I'm up."

"Well, when you're ready, we'll go ahead a leave."

"Sure thing," I said quickly changing into my only change of clothes and met Charlie by the front door with a pop tart in hand.

I took gratefully. "Thanks."

He shrugged his shoulders and opened the door; of course I was met with the drizzling rain, which matched my mood.

The day passed in a blur, going from one small store to the next out in Olympia. Charlie and I stocked up a great deal on my wardrobe, as much as I hated having him spend money on me. I also kept it limited; knowing that in a few short weeks, the chances of my belly expanding was very likely.

On the way back to Forks, Charlie took a detour down toward the beach.

"We are we going?" I asked looking as the water crashed along the beach.

"I have something that I wanted to pick up, something that you will need."

I shrugged my shoulders starting to think what I could possibly need. Eventually the beach began to disappear as we head back toward the forest and a small house peeked into view. Standing outside by an old red pickup truck was a boy with a man in a wheel chair.

"Billy," Charlie said as he opened the door and jumped out of the cruiser. I slowly climbed out and walked behind Charlie and watched as the two men shacked hands. I vaguely remember the Blacks from the small amount of time that I have spent up here at La Push during my summers.

"We cleaned her up for you," Billy said.

"I really want to thank you for doing this," Charlie said. "I know that Bella would not want to be riding around in the cruiser with me all the time."

I finally grasped what the conversation was about. Charlie was buying the truck from his friend Billy. Sure, they were both right, I needed a car, it definitely not cool to drive around in a police car. I walked over and took a closer look at the truck. It really seemed like the perfect vehicle for me. Heavy duty, something a tank would not even be able to wipe out.

"It is good to see you again Bella," Billy nodded his head in my direction. "You remember my son, Jacob?"

I turned my attention to the boy standing next to the front right fender of the truck. His long black hair was pulled back in a pony tail at the nape of his neck. Dark, round eyes looked at me, studying me. He appeared to be tall for his age, with a round face, that still had a hint of baby fat.

I shook my head no. "Sorry."

"Well, it has been awhile since you last came up here," Billy said from his chair.

We all stood there for a moment, the sound of distant waves pounding the surf. "I guess we better get going," Charlie said eventually as Billy hand him the keys.

I watched as Charlie climbed into the driver seat and started the monstrosity of a truck. I had to pin my arms to my side just so I would not cover my ears. The engine roared to life, stirring all the animals in its sound waves to life.

"Bella, go ahead and start driving home, I will follow behind you," Charlie said stepping out of the truck's cab.

I stood there in shock think he was crazy, wanting me to drive. I quickly came to my senses and climbed in. For the first time in a long time, I felt safe.

**A/N: I am not sure how often I will update this story, I was so overwhelmed by the responce of reviews that I have decided to turn it and make it my own. Please check out my profile, as I have updated it, as well as my home page. Thank you!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Fear. That is what I have felt for eight weeks. The fear of not knowing. The fear of knowing. Then the greatest fear of all – walking the halls day in and day out of my old high school, avoiding the looks of my attackers, my so-called friends.

As I rolled out of bed on Monday morning I had a refreshing feeling that maybe it will be different here. Maybe I will be able to get on my life and not live in constant fear of _them_. I looked out the window and still noticed that it was foggy with a slight mist of rain. No surprise there.

I placed my hand on my stomach as I turned to get my small bag of toiletries that I bought yesterday and began my morning routine. As I stood in front of the mirror, I began to study any changes to my body. My stomach was still flat, but I had a little more roundness to my breast and hips. I sighed thankful that I have not had much morning sickness, which was at least a plus.

I decided to dress plain and simple for my first day. I did not need any more attention than I was already guaranteed to get. Not only will I be a new student, but the long lost daughter of Chief Swan. The town probably has already been buzzing with gossip.

I headed down stairs and grabbed a glass, then walked to the fridge to have some orange juice. I threw a package of saltines into my backpack just in case. When I came out to the foyer I noticed that Charlie was standing there ready to go.

"You ready for your first day?" he asked buckling up his gun strap.

I smiled weakly. "Sure."

I went to my truck and saw that it was already running and toasty warm inside. Charlie may not show me very often how much he loves me, but he doesn't have to, it is all in the small gestures that set him apart. It is no wonder why my mom and he feel in love. The only problem, Charlie still loved my mother. It is Renee that has moved on. I began to wonder if someone would ever love me; especially now that I am broken and soon to be a single mother.

I followed Charlie through town and then parked next to him at the school parking lot, which was just beginning to fill up. I was thankful that my truck seemed to fit in with the student body. Most of the cars were much older, with the exception of a new shiny silver Volvo. I walked quietly, with my back pack slung over my shoulder, trying to keep up with Charlie's long pace. The very few students that were out already had their eyes on me. I could literally begin to see questions forming in their heads. I rolled my eyes, if there is one thing that I was not planning on doing here, that will be making friends. As soon as my stomach begins to get rounder and the word gets out that I am pregnant, it will cause the few friends I do make to run and hide. I will be an Ogre here, much like Shriek, a slight green shade from being nauseas, without the smell.

Charlie held the door open to one of the many brick buildings marked office. Once inside the full blast of the heat was a welcoming comfort. I stood back just slightly as Charlie took charge. AN older woman looked up from a pile of papers strewn on her desk and gave small smile.

"Why, Chief Swan, what a pleasant surprise," the woman said looking from him over to me. I could see her eyes come together in confusion.

"Morning, Ms. Cope," Charlie said returning his own beautiful smile. "I would like to introduce to you, my daughter." Charlie waved slightly for me to come forward. "This is Isabella. She will be staying with me for a while."

"Oh, how wonderful," Ms. Cope said looking at me. "I will need you to fill out a few papers. What grade are you in dear?"

"Eleventh," I squeaked out.

Ms. Cope smiled and stood up to go into another small office, she came back a few minutes later and handed me my own stack of papers. "Here is the map for the school and your classes. I will need you to bring this paper back to me after school, with all of your teacher's signatures."

I looked down the list and saw that it appeared to be basic classes. I gulped at the last class on the list and then looked up to Charlie. He saw my reaction and looked over my shoulder to see what I was pointing at. He nodded minutely.

"Ms. Cope, I see that Bella has Gym for last period," Charlie started. "Is there any way she can take another class?"

I watched as Ms. Cope frowned slightly. "No, I'm sorry, everyone takes Gym. Unless you bring a doctor's note to sit out, there is really not much I can do."

Charlie nodded. I could tell that he was planning on getting that doctor's note, one way or another.

"Really, dad, its fine," I said and turned to head out the door. I heard the first bell already and did not want to be late.

Charlie caught me by the arm. "Have a good first day of school," I nodded. "Oh, and Bella, if you have any problem at all, don't hesitate to go to the principal's office. He and I are good fishing buddies and I called him last night to let him know about," his eyes cast down to my stomach. "You know."

I groaned. "Awe, Dad."

"I know that you do not want this to get around, but I needed to let the school know. I did not go into details," Charlie said matching my stride back to my truck. "Also, I think that you will need to make an appointment to see a doctor."

A doctor. That was truly the last thing I wanted, that would mean that this whole thing would be real. When, in actuality, deep down, I was hoping that I would wake up and find out that this was nothing but a bad dream – no a nightmare.

"I'll see you tonight," I said and climbed into my truck to find a spot in the student lot.

Looking at my schedule and finding my classes on the map, I headed out to start my first day as a Junior at Forks High. I followed the small student body along the walkways, looking up at the numbers that have been placed on the each building. My first class, English with Mr. Mason was building three and when I walked in the first thing I noticed was how small the classroom was nothing like the classrooms back home.

I followed the route of the other students and then went to the front of the class to turn in my slip to be signed. Thankfully he did not ask any questions or make me introduce myself to the class. He just signed the paper, handed it back, then reached across his desk to pull out a copy of the syllabus. I walked down the aisle toward the empty seat near the back. While the teacher droned on about an upcoming paper on Macbeth, I took a moment to glance at the required assignments. A smile started to tug on my lips realizing that this will be an easy class. Considering I have already read the books and written a few papers on some of the topics.

The hours passed quickly, with the same routine with all the teachers and before I knew it the bell rang for lunch. I groaned as I walked toward the cafeteria, the smells rafting from the doors were already making my stomach churn. I decided to take my lunch hour to my truck and look over my trig assignment for the night. The one class that I could tell that will cause me problems.

As I opened the door, I glanced up and that is when I saw them. A small group five: two girls and three boys, walking in a close net cluster toward the cafeteria. They looked like they should have belonged in California working on a movie, not in the dreary town of Forks. They were the same, yet they were so different. Beautiful, almost to perfection.

A small wind picked up and my hair moved across my face. I tried quickly to brush it away to see who they were; I do not remember seeing any of them in one of my morning classes, not that I was paying much attention. When I looked up again, I noticed that one of the boys stopped and looked directly at me. I could feel the heat in my face as blush slid up my neck. I ducked quickly into my truck and slammed the door. The boy, with his windblown bronze color hair and pale, albino skin just watched me for a moment. He had a look or utter confusion and frustration.

A petite girl with the same perfect skin, but with dark spiky hair, turned and followed the boys gaze. Her eyes locked onto mine. I watched as her eyes seemed to glaze over and her body all of a sudden goes limp slightly. It was then that they both broke their stares and walked quickly, almost too quick, to the lunch room.

"Strange," I muttered, reaching in my bag to take out the bag of crackers.

When I heard the bell ring at the end of the hour, I climbed out of my truck and noticed that the same boy just a few feet away, watching me. I knew that I would get stares, but it was the way that he was watching me that left me blushing and butterflies floating in my stomach. It almost reminded me of a hunger. I turned in the opposite direction and walked toward my next class of biology.

I gave my slip to Mr. Banner and he pointed to the only empty table left. I glanced up quickly and saw the same boy that was standing outside just moments ago. My eyes darted toward the door, trying to remember seeing him pass me on the way in. When I began to walk down the aisle he stared right at me, watching my every move.

When I turned at the table and pulled my chair out, my toe caught on the table's leg and began to tumble forward. That is when I felt it. A surge of electricity course through me when I felt one of his hands reaches out to break my fall. I stood there for a moment, trapped in his gaze, his face expressionless, and his eyes an unfathomable darkness. I felt fear, but not the same fear that I have been feeling the past few months. This fear was different, this fear I wanted to hang on to, because I knew if I couldn't I would not be able to live.

"Thanks," I mumbled when I slid into my chair.

"You are very welcome, Bella," the bronze haired boy said, his jaw in tight line, looking straight ahead toward the front of the classroom.

"I'm sorry," I started. "What did you call me?"

He turned and smiled hesitantly. "Bella, that is your name, is it not?"

I nodded, but I was confused. I never met him before, nor have I ever told him my name. I would for sure remember him if he was in one of my other classes.

"My name is Edward Cullen by the way," he said before turning back to give the teacher his full attention.

I smiled slightly as I flipped my hair over my shoulder to hide my face. I had a name to the face that I saw earlier. But, I could not shake the feeling that he is different than any of the other boys here in Forks.

The bell rang and I went to tell Edward bye but realized that he was already walking out the door. I shrugged my shoulders and stood up to walk the one class that I was dreading the most: Gym.

I was thankful when the final bell rang for the day. I headed out the gym doors and back to the office to turn in my slip of signatures. Just as I was turning the corner I ran into something hard, much like a wall, but felt cold hands catch my waist.

"Sorry," I said and then looked up to see Edward Cullen looking right at me with that same expression of frustration. "I wasn't paying much attention."

He smiled a crooked smile that sent my heart soaring. "That's twice today that I caught you. You better be careful I may not let go next time."

I cocked my head trying to understand the meaning of his words. For some reason, I could not help but wonder if there was a double meaning in them. And just like before, he was gone, walking down the hall toward the front doors leading out to the dark cloudy afternoon.

I pushed the office door open and Ms. Cope was sitting behind her desk, just like I left her this morning. She glanced up when she heard the door open and smiled gently at me.

"How was your day, Bella?"

I smiled in return. "Fine." I handed over my slip and turned to leave.

I was thankful for this day to be over, it was long and my feet and back was killing me. I needed a nap, but first I had to stop off at the hospital to make my first appointment. I knew there was no other way to get around it. I was going to have to face the truth sooner or later.

**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews, I am so excited that you are enjoying this!!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I made my way through the small town, spotting the community hospital quickly. It was nothing like the sky rising hospitals of major cities. Just a few buildings a couple of stories high cradled amongst the several of bright green trees.

I let out a quiet sigh as I opened the door and felt the cold air slap my cheek. I walked with my head down and my hood up. My hair stood up on the back of my neck, as I had the sensation of someone following me. I turned around and looked toward my truck, my eyes squinting together. The shadows in the forest seemed to be at a standstill, even with the slight breeze. After a few minutes, I turned on my heel and made my way through the sliding doors of the hospital.

"Hello," a woman said who was sitting behind a tall dark oak desk. "How may I help you?"

I tried to smile, but my stomach was all torn up in knots, not to mention the waves of nausea that the medical smell of the hospital was giving off. I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and then placed my hands on the top of the desk to steady myself, taking in deep breaths.

I knew that the woman more than likely was looking at me strangely. With my head down I averted my eyes just slightly to be able to see under my lids. I could see the woman's silver head tilting in confusion, while looking at me.

"Miss, are you alright?"

I held up one thing to let her know to give me a second. After another deep breath and letting it out slowly, I finally looked up and made eye contact with her. I swallowed hard before speaking.

"Yes," I said quietly, my voice had a scratch to it. "I need to make an appointment to see a doctor."

The woman reached over and moved a calendar closer to her, grabbing up a pen. "What type of doctor will need to see and when?"

I knew that this question was bound to come up, as much as I really did not want to face up to it. "I think I might be pregnant," I whispered.

The woman's eye brows shot up. "I see. Well, I can get you in with Dr. Smith, who is our only OB/GYN. He will not be available to see you until January 17th. Will that be okay?"

I was slightly confused. "You're telling me that the earliest appointment is close to three weeks away?"

I watched as the woman nodded her head. "Like I said, he is our only OB/GYN. He stays awfully busy."

I looked around the quiet waiting area and then across the parking lot to the Emergency room, not a soul in sight.

"Obviously." I said under my breath. "I will take that appointment."

The woman picked up pen, "Name?"

_Great another question that is bound to give me the look._ "Bella Swan."

Just as expected, the woman looked up again, her eyes bright and big. "Chief Swan's daughter?"

I smiled. "The one and only."

"Oh, okay," I watched as she put my name down on the calendar and then reached over to the filing cabinet and proceeded to pull out some papers. "You will need to fill these out and bring them back with you to your appointment. If you begin to have any problems, please call and I will see about getting you in earlier."

I picked up the papers and put them in my backpack and began to walk out of the building. The whooshing of the sliding doors opened and brought in a blast of arctic air. I pulled my new coat tight around me and walked quickly to my truck. The loud roar of the engine made me jump along with any nearby birds that were drinking from one of the water puddles.

I put the truck in gear and began to make my way back through town to the grocery store to pick up some food to make for dinner and some breakfast items. I decided that one way to help out around the house would be to cook dinner, even though; chances of me eating much of it were going to be slim.

I walked into the dark, quiet house and began to put everything away. Put the potatoes in the oven and then took the chicken to smoother with BBQ sauce. I gathered up my bag and placed it on the kitchen table and took a seat in one of the many unmatched chairs. I grabbed my assignments and quickly finished. Since many of my classes back home were upper level, the classes here were going to be easy. All that is, except my math class.

Just as I was finishing my last problem I heard the door open to the front door. I jumped up from my seat and finished up dinner.

"Bella?" Charlie's deep voice called from the front room.

"In the kitchen," I said and I could hear his foot prints as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Smells good," he said washing his hands and then taking a seat.

I scooped up the BBQ chicken and put a potato on his plate, then gathered up a small amount for me. I watched as Charlie eyed his plate and then my own.

"Not hungry?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Not really feeling that great."

Charlie just nodded his head; I knew that the topic of me being pregnant is going to stay very low on his list.

"How was your first day?"

"It was alright," I said taking a small bite. "I went to the hospital this afternoon and made an appointment, about three weeks away."

"Good," Charlie nodded in agreement. "But three weeks seems a little far. Maybe I can go down there tomorrow and talk…"

"No," I said a bit too loudly. "I do not want any special treatment. I want to be as invisible here as possible."

"I'm sorry, Bella, but given the circumstances, you will not be able to stay invisible for long."

I looked down at my plate scraping the peas around. "I know."

"Eventually people are going to begin to ask questions and I would like to make sure that we are on the same page."

I turned away from him and watched as a fly began to roam around the kitchen. I placed my hands square on the table and then stood up. This was something that I was not ready to talk about yet. And truth be told, I was not really sure what happened to begin with.

I wiped a tear that was beginning to slip past my eye and picked up my plate, walking over to the sink.

"I'm not ready to talk about it," I said washing up the dirty dishes.

I could hear Charlie take a deep breath and let it out. "Bells, how do you expect me to feel about this? You coming here, telling me that you're pregnant and not giving much detail."

I turned around, anger beginning to boil up inside. "Please, dad. Don't. If it is appearances that you want to keep up, fine I'll play along. Tell the good people of Forks, that you long lost daughter got knocked up, no idea who the father is and that she ran away because you ex-wife wanted her to have an abortion."

I threw the towel down on the counter and turned around. "And now I am going to bed."

I stormed out of the kitchen and made it to the stairs. I could hear the chair scoot out and Charlie begin to walk.

"Bella," he called out. "You were not knocked up, you were raped! It will not get any easier until you talk about it."

By then I was slammed the door shut to my room. I did not want to talk about it; I did not want to think about it. But I did, every night for the last ten weeks that is all I have been thinking about. Every time I closed my eyes, I see it. I can still hear his voice. The same voice that kept waking me up, but this was one nightmare that I can never get out of. Little did I know that when I choose to run away from Phoenix and walk into the small town of Forks, that my nightmares would just get worse.

The next three weeks went off without any incident. I was going to school and avoiding as many people as I could. Since I was not out to make friends, people sort of avoided me. There were a couple of girls that seemed nice enough that I would sometimes sit with at lunch, but that has been as far as it got. Until Jessica asked if I would like to go to Port Angels to go shopping for some dresses to a dance that I was not even planning on attending.

"Come on, Bella," Jessica said as we walked from the cafeteria. "Angela and Lauren will be coming. Since you have been here you have not made very many friends. This will be a good time for us to get to know you better."

I smiled weakly. "Believe me; it will be better for all if you don't get to know me."

Jessica looked confused. "What do you mean by that?"

I did not feel like getting into it. "Never mind. Sure I'll go with the three of you; I needed to get a couple of things anyways."

I pulled slightly at my long sweater, knowing that my pants were beginning to get tighter on me. Thankfully my first appointment will be this afternoon.

"Great, we are going to leave right after school tomorrow," I nodded and walked into my biology class.

Edward Cullen was already sitting at our table. He pulled my chair out for me and took my book bag. During the last couple of weeks, he and I have started to become friends, or at least I think that is what I can call it. He does not talk much to me, but he is pleasant to me and does not attempt to pry.

"So, you are going to Port Angels tomorrow with Jessica and her friends?" Edward asked as I sat down.

I shook my head trying to clear it. I have yet to figure out how he is able to hear so well. I did not think we were talking all that loud. "Yes, unfortunately."

"I don't understand?"

I sighed and took out my book. "I am not the type of person that needs a friend, at least not right now."

He titled his head to the side, as if studying me just slightly. I became uncomfortable and tugged down on my sweater. His face lit up just slightly and a small smile appeared on his lips, but then quickly disappeared.

"We would not be make very good friends either."

_Ouch that hurt._ "Well, like I said I'm not here to make friends. I have a past, a very broken past."

Edward nodded in understanding and then turned his attention back to the front of the class room. My mind began to turn the words that he said, about us not being very good friends. If there was only one person in this whole town that I wanted to get to know better it was Edward Cullen. I was drawn to him. And truth be told he has been the only thing at night that has kept the nightmares away. For the past three weeks, I have been able to sleep, somewhat. But every night Edward has been in my dreams as well.

**A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, I am still in shock about how quickly this story has become a favorite for so many of you!!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The rest of the school day went by in a blur and then when the final bell rang, I made my quickly to my truck. As much as I was not looking forward to going to the doctor, I was also ready to get it over with. The entire drive there, I kept having this feeling that I someone was following me. Just like a few weeks earlier when I made the doctor's appointment.

I put the truck into park and checked my book bag from my papers that I was asked to fill out. Most of the questions were pretty standard, but some were difficult to answer, mostly because of not knowing exactly who the father was. All I knew was it could be one of three boys.

The same woman was sitting at the receptionist desk. She lifted her head and smiled slightly, putting her finger in the air to let me know that I would need to wait. I walked over to the chairs and sat down, pulling up a magazine to flip through.

"Miss Swan," the woman asked after a couple of minutes.

I stood up and walked over to her, my papers in hand. "Here you go."

The woman looked down at my pile of papers and nodded. "You can actually hang onto those and take the elevators up to the second floor. Dr. Smith's office will be in Suite 201."

I turned and followed the hall toward the elevator, pressing the up button. With the building being old, I was also expecting the elevator to move slowly, but not as slow as a snail. I exhaled loudly wishing I would have taken the stairs, even though I would more than likely manage to trip going up them. After what felt like an eternity, the doors opened and right in front of me was Suite 201.

I opened the door slowly and saw the waiting room to be very cheerful it was almost nauseating. I walked toward the open pane sliding window.

"My name is Isabella Swan; I'm here to see Dr. Smith," I spoke quietly, as to not disturb the other woman that was waiting.

The woman with thick tortoise shell glass pulled out her calendar mumbling a few words, "Ah yes, and a prenatal appointment."

I grimaced at the word and the fact that spoke it so loudly, or at least it sounded loud. I just nodded my head and gave her all of my information along with my insurance card. She looked over the papers quickly and then put them into a folder.

"Very good, I will need for you to leave a specimen. There are cups in the restroom, be sure to write your name on the outside with the _Sharpie_. There is a small cubbie in the wall above the toilet that you will leave it. Then come back out and have a seat and the doctor will call you in just a moment."

I nodded and pulled my back pack higher up onto my shoulder and walked to the restrooms. I knew that the pee in the cup thing was routine, just to confirm that I was indeed pregnant. I put the cup intot 

he open cubbie and then walked back to the waiting room to sit. All the magazines that they had laid out were about pregnancies, which in truth was the last thing I really wanted to read. Even though I have made the decision that I was going to keep the baby. I was not sure yet as to what was going to happen afterwards.

Just as I was about to pull out my Trig book I heard my name being called. I stood up quickly and grabbed my bag. There was a young woman who appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties, blond hair and pulled back into a tight bun. She looked like she might have been right out of Medical school. She held the door open for me and then followed her to a vacant examination room.

"I'm Megan Smith," Dr. Smith said with a warm smile. "Why don't you have a seat in the chair for right now so we can talk and then I will do an exam?"

I sat down in the only chair that was next to even more magazines of how to be fit during your pregnancy. I had to catch myself from not rolling my eyes.

"Isabella," Dr. Smith started. "I see from your…"

"Bella," I interrupted.

Dr. Smith looked up in confusion. "I'm sorry."

"I go by Bella," I said.

Dr. Smith nodded. "Then why don't you call me Megan?"

"Okay."

"Good, now that we have that out of the way. Like I was saying, I see from your initial paperwork that you believe you are pregnant," she looked up at me and I nodded. "The date you gave is October 31st. for conception, correct?"

"Yes," I said weekly. "It's been about twelve weeks ago."

I closed my eyes as I knew where the conversation might be headed.

"I know how a young woman can always remember the first time."

I looked up suddenly, "First time?"

Megan nodded her head. "Yes, since you remember the date, it must have been your first time."

I felt angry then, for the first time since that night I began to feel angry. "You do not know anything about what happened that night. It was not the first time for anything. I was raped and now I am pregnant. I ran away from my home in Phoenix because my mother wanted me to have an abortion. I'm sorry, but you don't know anything about me or my first time."

Megan sat back in her chair and studied me for a moment. Then she stood up and began to get some equipment together. Pulling out a paper gown and cover, she placed it on the table.

"Go ahead and change so I can do a full examination," She said before leaving the room. "And Bella, I will need your complete honesty. With rape victims there are sometimes more things to worry about than just being pregnant."

I watched the door close and then picked up the paper gown, getting undressed slowly trying to figure out what she could mean. What in the world could be worse than being pregnant?

There was a soft knock on the door just as I climbed up onto the cold plastic table. I arranged the paper drape over my legs.

"Come in," I said barely a whisper.

Megan opened, behind her was another woman pushing a cart. "This is Nina, she is the ultrasound technician."

The two of them moved quickly around the small room plugging in the machine and setting everything up.

"First I am going to have Nina take a few pictures to see that the baby is developing alright. We will be able to hear the heartbeat as well. Typically at about ten to twelve weeks is when the heart beat is audible."

Nina took out a small wand and squirted some blue gel onto it. Then she moved the paper thin blanket down to my pelvis. I moved slightly at the coldness of the gel.

"I'm sorry dear," Nina said. "I should have warned you that it was going to be cold. Okay, now you might feel a little pressure. Early in the pregnancy the fetus is very low."

I turned my attention to the small black and white monitor and watched as a small form began to take shape. Every few minutes Nina would click on a button and freeze it.

"Right now I am taking measurements," she pointed to the far left hand side. "That small round shape is the head and the body. As you can see it is still too early for the limbs to begin."

She moved the wand a little bit more and then hit a button. I began to hear a sound, a _whoosh, whoosh_ noise. "And that is your baby's heartbeat."

"It's so fast," I mused as I focused on the sound.

Nina nodded and Megan came to stand to look at the monitor.

"A baby's heartbeat is much fast than that of an adult or even a child. It has to work very hard right now.

Nina picked up the wand. "I will have the pictures ready to be put in Bella's chart." She looked at me. "Would you like a copy for yourself?"

My eyes were still fixed at the small pea sized human that was growing inside of me, right now. I nodded my head, for some reason I already was beginning to love him or her.

The rest of the exam moved quickly and before I knew it I was getting dressed. Megan came back into the room. This time with a tray full of empty vales.

"I need to draw some blood before you leave," she said washing her hands putting on a pair of gloves. "I will do a blood typing along with STD testing. Since you have been raped we need to realy keep an eye on your health as well as that of the baby."

I nodded as my stomach turned over. Megan wrapped a rubber band tight above my elbow and bega to look for a vein. I watched as the needle began to prick just slightly on my skin.

"I don't like blood," I blurted out.

Megan stopped for a second and looked up at me. "Breath through your mouth that will help and you can go ahead and lay back on t the table, just in case."

I lay back down and closed my eyes focusing on breathing through my mouth. Megan moved quickly to gain the number of vales that she wanted and the put a band-aid on the sore spot of my elbow.

"Your weight was a little on the low side," Megan said pulling the gloves off and throwing them in the garbage. "I know that it is hard to eat at right now, but try to eat small amounts several times a day. I will send your tests off to the lab later this afternoon and we should have the results back in about ten days. I will call you regardless of the results."

Megan followed me out to the waiting area. "And here is my cell phone number, if for any reason you ever need to talk or have any problems feel free to call me."

I took her business card and slid it into my back pocket of my jeans along with my first picture of my child.

"Are you still attending high school?"

"Yes, will that be a problem?"

Megan shook her head. "No, it shouldn't be. But you will begin to show. And at first you will be able to cover it up with all the layers, but eventually people will begin to talk. You might want to consider trying to graduate early or have a good solid story. It won't hurt to find a friend or two that will support you in any decisions that you make."

"Okay," I said and headed toward the door this time taking the stairs to go down to the lobby and out to my truck.

My mind felt like it was going a mile a minute. Once inside the safety of my truck, I turned it on and cranked the heater up to full blast. I lowered my head to my steering wheel and took some deep breaths. And then I cried.

Friends to have as allies? Yeah, right? Who would ever want to be friends with a seventeen year old, victim of rape and pregnant?

**A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and alerts, you are awesome!! My personal spinoff of this story to make it my own novel is going really well. Check out my webpage and bio for more in depth details! Also please check out my bio, I jsut posted a poll!!  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Warning!! This chapter was very difficult to write. Some sexual content, but angst related!**

**Chapter 6**

"Bella?"

I placed my head on my desk trying hard to fight the churning in my stomach. Knowing very well that I should not have eaten breakfast, but I was trying hard to follow the doctor's orders. My first appointment went well and Charlie was pleased that I was being pro-active in the situation. An adult was what he said. I rolled my eyes at the term, it's not like I chose this. Then again, now that I know that being pregnant is real, the life inside of me is real, it was time to grow up.

"Bella, are we still on for tonight?"

I managed to roll my head around to look at Jessica and let out a small groan as I remembered that tonight I was to go with her and Angela to look for dresses. I gave a weak smile and nodded my head yes.

"Are you sure?" she asked looking at me with her nose wrinkled. "You don't look too hot?"

"I'm sure; I just think the milk I drank might have been bad or something."

She nodded her head satisfied with the answer and turned to give the Spanish teacher her undivided attention. I was very thankful that she bought my excuse. I was to find and make friends. Allies is what Megan said. Allies for what? That is the real question. I mean come on, it's not like they could kick me out of school. Charlie already spoke to the principal. Yet, this is a small town and people will start talking and in another month or so, it will be hard to hide the round belly that was bound to appear. Right now my only option will be to start with Jessica and Angela and then go from there.

The bell rang and I managed to stand up without falling over as I held onto the side of the desk, trying to get my bearings straight. I took a couple of deep breaths and then followed the rest of the class out and onto my next class. What I really wanted was to go home and go back to bed. I was tired, the nightmares returned last night and all I remember was waking up screaming.

"_She, Bella, it's just me,"_ that voice said.

I shivered as I thought back to that night and wrapped my coat around me tighter as I headed toward my truck, already making the decision that I was going to go home and skip out for the rest of the day. Maybe after a good power nap I would feel better and more excited about going shopping.

The door to my truck opened with a creak and I slid in, slamming the door shut behind me. I put the key into the ignition and turned.

Nothing.

I tried again, pushing on the gas thinking that the engine or gas line was frozen, but, still, nothing.

I groaned and laid my head against the steering wheel. My eyes beginning to tear up and I let out an ear splitting scream.

"I'm tired," I groaned into the air.

I looked around thankful that the school yard was cleared of kids and then I put my book bag down on the passenger side and curled up. Sleeping in my truck was going to have to do, even though it was cold.

"_Come on Bella, we're going to be late."_

"_I know, Jane, I'm coming down right now."_

_I climbed into Jane's car and we sped through Phoenix to go to the homecoming party at Dean's house, the captain of the football team. His parties have always been known to be the wildest and craziest of any school parties. As Jane pulled up to the curb, I could already tell that this was a going to be a mistake. The empty beer bottles were scattered everywhere and some people already had their heads in the bushes throwing up. I reached up and grabbed Jane's arm to stop her._

"_Jane, I don't think this is a good idea."_

"_Oh, Bella, please, we know everyone here. Nothing bad is going to happen. Let's go and have some fun."_

"Bella, wake up."

I moved my head just slightly but plopped it back down on my bag. I was so tried and my head felt like it weighed a ton. The voices were starting to get louder and sound more agitated.

"Alice, how much longer until she wakes up?"

"I don't know, Edward. Just break in, we can buy her a new windshield. Actually, why we're at, just buy her a new car."

"Alice, just shut up!"

"Fine, don't ask me for help anymore."

I reached up and rubbed my eyes, lifting my head slowly to look outside at who was screaming at me to wake up. I sat up and looked out the foggy windshield and was surprised to see Edward peering back at me. Behind him I could see that his sister was standing on the side walk tapping her foot appearing to be impatient or annoyed.

"Bella, thank Good," Edward said pointing down to the door locks. "Can you unlock the door, please?"

I shook my head slightly to clear it and then reached over to pull the lock up. Edward moved quickly to have the door open and me out of the cab of my truck within seconds. When he sat me down on the 

curb of the sidewalk I had to wait a moment for the spinning in my head to stop. I never realized how quickly he could move before.

I looked up at him for a second, his golden eyes, bright, but I could see that he appeared to be worried. But for what, I did not understand. I was just trying to take a nap, to get a little rest.

Edward reached down and took hold of one of my hands and held onto it for a just split second before retracting his grip. Just that slight touch I knew would stay with me forever though. The rip of electricity that shot through me and then the coldness of his hands were wonderful and hard to explain.

So very cold. Inhumanly cold. Deathly cold.

He looked up suddenly behind me and I turned to look over my shoulder to see his sister staring at Edward and me. Her eyes were small slits almost like she was mad. She frowned just slightly and then turned around to walk back toward the school building.

When she was out of sight, I looked back to Edward, his eyes were locked onto mine again and he looked confused, his face twisted in concentration.

"Edward, what were you doing?" I finally asked the silence beginning to kill me.

"I was just about to ask you the same question," he said as he let out a small sigh. "When you did not show up for Biology, I was worried. So I came to look for you and finally found you in your truck. I didn't know if something happened. Or if you were hurt or something."

"I'm fine," I said placing my hands on the ground to get ready to stand up. "I was just a little tired and wanted to go home and take a nap. But my truck wouldn't start, so I just fell asleep. But I'm better now. And if you excuse me, I would like to try again. I need to get home and get ready to go to Port Angeles."

"I don't think that will be a very good idea, at least not to night."

I stared at him for a moment and then stood up and walked over to my truck. It was not his job to protect me nor was it his place to tell me where to or not go. I reached inside and turned the key, this time the truck roared to life. I turned around to look for Edward, but he was not where I left him. I let out a sigh and climbed into my truck slamming the door.

As I pulled out of the school parking lot, I noticed that he was standing next to his shiny new Volvo, along with the rest of his family. Each of them appearing to be somewhat mad and looking right at Edward. They all stopped talking and stared at me as my loud truck rumbled past them.

Once I was home, I took a quick shower and dressed for the evening. I had only a few minutes now before Jessica and Angela were scheduled to pick me up. I lay down on my bed to rest for a couple of minutes, but every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was that night.

The house was a disaster, Jane leaving me to go find her boyfriend. Dean coming up behind and placing his arm around my waist, saying he wanted to show me something.

I sat up suddenly, not wanting to remember, but lately it has all been coming back.

"But I don't want to remember," I said out loud and stood up to go down stairs.

As I placed my foot on solid ground of the last step, my heart began to race at the sound of someone knocking on the door. I went and pulled the current aside in the living room and saw Jessica's car sitting in the drive way. I gathered my purse and hurried out of the house.

"So, are you feeling better, Bella?" Jessica asked as I locked the front door and walked beside her down the drive to her car.

"Yes, thank you," I said getting into the car. I turned around to see Angela sitting in the back, "Hi Angela."

"Hello, Bella," Angela said quietly giving a small wave.

Jessica pulled slowly out and began to drive out of Forks, this will be my first time actually leaving the small town since my arrival and I was actually beginning to look forward to it, even though the idea of shopping was not on my top ten lists of things to do. Especially as of now when the jeans I slipped on began to feel tighter, more so in the last five minutes.

"So," I began to start conversation, after all I needed some good solid friendships. "Are the two of you excited about going to the dance?"

"Yes," Jessica said reaching over to turn down the radio. "I really think that Mike and I will have a great time. I wish you would change your mind about going. There are still some guys available."

I rolled my eyes. "Sorry, I have a lot of catching up to do still with school work. And besides, I don't dance."

"You sure? You could always ask Edward Cullen?"

I looked over to Jessica and then in the back seat to see Angela looking at me intently. "Edward and I have one class together and I think I have talked to him a total of two times in the last month or so."

Jessica shrugged her shoulders. "He still gives off some pretty good body language though. I think he might like you."

"That would be the first," Angela spoke up.

I turned around and glared at her in confusion. "What do you mean: that I would be the first?"

"Edward keeps to his self," Jessica started. "I have yet to see him talk to any other female other than his sisters, Rosalie and Alice."

I nodded. "So whose who?"

I decided that I could use this information. I wanted to get to know Edward just as badly. All I knew was that he was beyond handsome, cold, and eyes and scent that was beyond alluring.

"Well, Rosalie is tall, blond and beautiful," Jessica said turning her blinker on. "You know, the super model beautiful type."

I remembered seeing her this afternoon standing across from Edward. She looked more pissed off about something than the rest of them.

"Then Alice," Angela said. "She seems spunky. Full of energy. She has the short cropped black hair."

I turned her name around in my head as I pictured her standing their taping her foot on the sidewalk. I could see her being spunky.

"But anyways, the whole family is sort of weird and kind of creepy if you ask me," Angela said picking up her book to get some studying done.

I turned my attention back and forth between the two of them waiting for a response. I knew that I would get one as soon as Jessica let out a heavy sigh.

"Emmett is dating Rosalie; he's the big brown haired boy. And Jasper, the blond, he and Alice are an item."

"Okay," I said. "That doesn't seem too bad."

Jessica turned to look at me with an open mouth. "They are all brothers and sisters. They all live together with Dr, Carlisle and Esme Cullen."

"Adopted," Angela tuned in. "They are all adopted, Jessica, it's not like they are related by blood or anything."

Jessica pulled into a parking spot. "It's still weird."

We all climbed out of the car and I could not believe how much better I was already feeling. Being around some girls, having some girl talk was a good thing, I could tell. The next couple of hours moved quickly and both Angela and Jessica found dresses to wear to the dance, along with shoes and other accessories.

"How about we go grab a bit to eat," Jessica said slamming the trunk lid down after putting the bags into the car.

I tried hard to not make a face as the idea of food was not appealing to me. "Why don't you and Angela go on ahead, I'm not feeling that great yet."

"You don't each much, do you?" Jessica asked. "I never see you at lunch."

"What are you going to do?" Angela asked.

I shrugged my shoulders to answer both of their questions. "I think I will go find a book store or go into some these little board walk stores. How about I meet you back here in an hour and a half? That should give the two of you plenty of time."

Jessica and Angela looked at each other just for a moment, but I was already headed off into the opposite direction, not given them much of an option.

I turned at the next corner and began to window shop, not paying too much attention as too where I was headed. It was not until I looked up and realized that it was getting darker. I turned around to head back to the car when a man stepped in front of my path.

"Sorry," I mumbled and stepped off the side walk to go around him.

Just as my foot stepped onto the wet street another figure blocked that path. I looked over my shoulder and realized that I was trapped. My heart began to race and I could not help but have the sense of déjà vu.

Three men.

Dark.

And worse I could smelt he stench of liquor.

"Please, I'm just going back to meet my friends," I said and attempted to take another step.

The largest of the three that was right in front of took a step closer. "I don't think so."

The man behind me moved closer as well, I could feel his breath on the back of my neck as he leaned over and whisper in my ear.

"Shhh," he said. "Be very still."

My heart caught in my throat and I closed my eyes praying that whatever they had planned it would be quick. I knew that it was going to be painful; I have already felt it before. I place one of my hands onto my stomach and for the first time felt the small harness of my growing uterus.

"Please," I whispered.

Oh, look, she's begging. How cute?"

I knew better than to try to run or fight. It would hurt even worse or I could end up finding myself dead.

So I held still.

I bit on my lower lip fighting the tears to stay as the one on the road came and brushed my hair out of my eyes, tucking the strands tenderly behind my ear and then he leaned in, his tongue flicking on my lobe.

The bigger man reached up pushing me from the other two up against the cold brick wall. His hands ran down the length of my buttons not even bother with unbuttoning them, but ripping my shirt. I could feel his dirt hands rub one of my breasts, already they were so sore and his roughness just made it worse.

I closed my eyes and just began to pray. Pray that someone would help me. Or that they would just hurry up.

My head was tilted back roughly and hit the wall hard, I could smell the blood as it began to leak from my head.

"We need you to be a willing participant," the bigger one said as he put his mouth to mine, forcing his tongue to dance with mine.

I could feel another set of hands trying to unbuckle my jeans and shimmy them down my legs. I grimaced as I felt the fingers slide into my most gentle area and that is when I knew that this was going to be it.

How much could one person be violated in such a way?

I could feel his fingers getting rougher, poking and prodding their way up farther. The third man was licking and sucking my neck. I knew that it will be just a matter of time now.

I tried not to scream as the heavier many threw me to the ground, reaching up to undo his belt buckle, the other two men already had their pants down and ready to find their passageway. I tucked my legs to my chest to protect me the best that I could, trying to squirm away from them. I knew I was backed into a corner. Just as I turned my head, trying to hide and not wanting to know who will be going to be first when I heard it - the most menacing sounding growl.

I turned my head and looked up just slightly and just saw the back of a man standing between me and the three dark and dangerous men. He turned all of a sudden and lifter me up into his arms, with so much grace.

I lowered my head onto his chest, burying my tears into his shirt as he carried me to a car that was parked on the corner. He somehow managed to open the back door and slide me in with such ease. I blinked a couple of times as my eyes adjusted to the darkness and noticed that we were not alone.

"Alice, drive!" he said.

_Alice!_

I pulled my shirt tighter around me and looked up at the angel who saved me. I was met with the golden eyes of Edward.

"Bella are you alright?"

I just shook my head back and forth, I knew I was about to go into shock. I closed my eyes.

"Bella?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

I rolled my head and tried to open my eyes. I brought my hands up to my face and then behind me, trying to figure out where I was. The room was dark, and the place I was laying on felt somewhat hard and a little cool. I blinked quickly to get the sleep out of my eyes and then I saw it, everything. The three men in the dark street, the feeling of the grungy hands inside of me, and then the growl of a dangerous animal, but not an animal.

I rolled my head over and felt tightness in my oblique's.

I shot up, "My baby!"

I could feel a pair of strong arms touch slightly on shoulders, pushing back down to the bed. "Shh, Bella, everything is okay."

I let myself to be put back down and then turned my head over to see who was in the room with me. I gasped at the golden eyes that were very familiar, but they were not the eyes of who I wanted them to be.

"Where am I? Who are you?"

"My name is Dr. Carlisle Cullen," the man with the gold eyes said. "My son and daughter, Edward and Alice, found you and they brought you here to our house. Can you tell me what the last thing is that you remember?"

I closed my eyes and shook my head, I didn't want to remember. The pain from the last time was already too fresh, adding in a second. "Edward, he saved us."

"Us?" Dr. Cullen went quiet for a second and tilted his head like he was trying to concentrate. "Yes, he did save the two of you."

I sat up quickly, realizing that I needed to get home. "Thank you, but I need to get home. Char- I am mean my dad is going to be worried."

"Bella?" A voice of an angle spoke softly out from the shadows. I turned to look over to where the sound came from. Edward walked slowly out of the shadows, he looked like he was in pain, but at the same time he looked very concerned.

"Edward," Dr. Cullen said. "I would like to examine Bella better before she goes home."

I was confused, he just told me that I was okay and that the baby was well. I looked back and forth to them while they communicated quietly. I could barely hear the words, but I could see the slight movement with their lips. After a couple of minutes, Edward nodded his head and then went back into the shadows. I could hear the slight creaking of a door open and then close.

I let out a small sigh. "I don't understand, you said that we were fine. Oh, my God," I brought my hand to my mouth as my mind made a connection. "You know, does Edward know as well?" I pulled the blankets off of me and went to stand up. "I need to go."

"Bella, what happened?" Dr. Cullen said quietly. "I know that you are Chief Swan's daughter and I know that you are also trying hard to hide something that you will not be able to hide for much longer."

I bit my lip and rocked on my heels, looking around the room trying to see in the darkness. "I can't."

Dr. Cullen walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder, giving me a slight squeeze. "I'm going to drive you home, so I will be able to talk to your father. Give him piece of mind that you are physically alright."

I nodded my head and began to walk slowly as another tightness shot through my side. I doubled over knees and held my breath, fighting the urge to let any tears escape my eyes.

"Bella?"

"I'm fine," I said straightening up.

"That you are," Dr. Cullen said. "It is just your muscles beginning to stretch some to make room for the baby."

"Shh, please don't say that," I said. "No one can find out."

"You can't do this alone," he said as he guided us out of the room and down a very well lit hallway. When we came to the head of the stairs Dr. Cullen turned and looked at me. "If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask."

I nodded knowing that he was just being nice. "Thank you, but I will be alright."

I held onto the banister as I took my time walking down the stairs. Edward was standing at the bottom holding my jacket. I looked up at him for just a moment, trying to see his eyes. They were dark, not the gold that I have enjoyed looking at. His jaw line was set in a tight line, making him appear mad. But mad at what?

He held up my jacket and I turned to let my arms slide in. "Thank you," I said quietly.

Dr. Cullen reached for the door and I followed him out into the dark, a sleek car was parked in the drive. He opened the front door for me and I climbed in. Edward slid into the backseat, while Dr. Cullen came around the front and went behind the wheel. The car started without making so much as a purr.

We drove quietly through the dark streets of Forks, only taking minutes for a drive that should have taken at least thirty. When Dr. Cullen parked the car behind the police cruise, I began to panic. What in the world was I going to say to Charlie and how I ended up with the Cullens?

The front door opened and I could see Charlie's figure standing on the porch. I took a deep breath and opened my door. Edward was already standing next to me reaching down for my hand. I took it, grateful to have the support, but as soon as I touched his fingers I pulled back at the shock of coldness that coursed through me. He looked at me and his eyes seemed to be telling me that it was alright. I placed my hand slowly into his again and this time I weakened in the knees. Something in the back of my mind told me that his eyes held the truth. For some reason, that I could not explain, I knew that I could trust him.

He nodded his head slowly and mimicked the movement. I looked over and could already see Charlie walking down the stairs and across the drive.

"Dr. Cullen?" Charlie said with hoarseness in his voice. I caught the look that Charlie was giving to Edward and then a different look of Edward holding my hand. "Bella, I thought you said you were going shopping?"

I nodded my head but before I had the chance to speak, Dr, Cullen reached out for his hand.

"Chief Swan, do you mind if we go and sit down, something happened tonight," Dr. Cullen said and Charlie looked at him a moment before shaking his head out of a daze.

"Sure thing," Charlie turned and we followed him into the house.

Once we were all inside and had taken a seat, I shivered subconsciously at the thought of what was going to be coming out of the doctor's mouth. Edward looked at me for a moment and then took his hand out of mine. I quickly reached for it, for the first time in months I felt safe with his hand on mine.

"So, what happened tonight?" Charlie said looking around at each of us, but his eyes stopping at Edward's.

"Chief," Dr. Cullen started. "Bella was almost raped tonight, but thankfully my son and daughter found her before anything to drastic could happen."

I cringed at the word and at Charlie's face as it turned all shades of red and purple. I could see him mentally counting to ten and then he went to stand up and walked over to the front door. I jumped to my feet quickly, knowing that he was already planning on going down to the station. But he can't, all I wanted right now was to forget, like the last time.

Charlie turned and looked at me and I could tell that he saw how beat I was, how tired I was. He walked over to me and pulled me close to him. With his hands on my face, he tilted my head to look at me. "Bella, what happened? And I want the truth, everything. I want the beginning."

I took a shaky breath. "I went to Port Angeles to go shopping with Jessica and Lauren for the dance next weekend. We had a few minutes before going to get some dinner and I wanted to find a bookstore, I just got turned around and three men started to follow me. I stood still…" I let my voice trail off. I was hoping that he would get the idea that I did exactly what I was asked to do from a few months ago.

Charlie began to shake his head. "Bella, what did they look like?"

"Um," Edward spoke up. "Chief Sawn, I reported it as soon as Bella was safe, you don't need to worry."

I looked up quickly to Edward who moved to stand closer to me. I closed my eyes trying to remember when he ever had a phone in his hands or if we drove to the Port Angeles police station. Something told me that he was not telling the whole truth but thankfully Charlie seemed to by Edward's story and nodded his head in agreement.

"Dr. Cullen," Charlie said turning his attention off of me. "Did you check Bella out, or should I take her down to the hospital?"

Dr. Cullen nodded his head. "Bella is well, you don't need to worry."

"Thank you," Charlie said reaching out his hand which Dr. Cullen took. I watched as Charlie grimaced slightly and wondered if Dr. Cullen had the same icy cold touch as Edward. "Edward."

"There is nothing to thank me for, I was just in the wrong place at the right time," Edward said shaking Charlie's hand.

Dr. Cullen turned to me and looked at me one last time before turning to leave. I watched as Edward followed his father out the door and I could not help but feeling very cold when he left. It felt like my heart was breaking. I wanted to reach out for Edward and tell him to stop, but at the same time I wanted to make sure he left and never turned to look at me again. It would be better in the end. Why would anyone want me, I'm broken.

I began to make my way to the stairs when I heard Charlie clear his throat. "Bella, wait."

I groaned and stopped in mid step. "Yes, Dad."

"I don't know anything about being a girl and all, but I think you might have just found your first friend here in Forks and if I could be frank, I think that Edward might actually like you more than a friend. He's a good kid."

I smiled internally and nodded my head. "Yea, I'm thankful. I'm going to take a shower and go to bed."

"Okay, sleep well, Bells."

I climbed the rest of the stairs up to my room and grabbed my bag of toiletries along with a pair of flannel pants and long shirt. The hot shower I knew would be wonderful, but I also knew that I would not be able to wash all the filth off of me. I relished in the heat and took my time. When I was dressed and with the towel wrapped around my hair, I walked back to my room and climbed into bed quickly.

Once I was ready for bed, I became restless. My mind and my body seemed to be jumpy. After what felt like hours of tossing and turning I finally reached over and turned on the night stand lamp and reached for the picture of my ultrasound. I traced the small round head and body with my pinky.

I was amazed at myself for already feeling so much love for someone that truly should not even be here, especially from such a heinous crime. I placed my hand slightly over my lower part of my stomach and rubbed small circles.

While rubbing, I began to feel calmer. My mind began to relax and I could not help but think of Edward. I wanted to get to know him better, and deep down think I needed to get to know him. Yet, I could not help but wonder if he has his own secrets that he is hiding.

I shiver at remembering his cold hand on top of mine. I looked up and saw that the drapes were flapping in the wind. I tried to think back, but I did not remember opening my window. I stood up and walked over to close it, but stopped half way when something else caught my eye.

In the shadows the far corner sat my rocking chair which has been a part of my room since birth. I brought my hands to my mouth, dropping the ultrasound picture to the floor and bracing myself to scream when I felt the cold hands cover my mouth.

"Please, don't scream," he whispered.

I nodded my head and Edward let go of my mouth. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you were alright."

I walked over to the window and looked down. My bedroom was on the second floor and the tree in front of my window was still a good size jump away. "How did you get up here?"

Edward shrugged. "I'm a good climber."

I watched as Edward knelled down and began to reach for the picture. I tried to get to it before he did, but was too late. I watched his expression as he looked at the small black and white. I was already prepared to point my finger and tell him to leave. Not wanting to explain or needing anyone's sympathy.

"You will make a wonderful mother," Edward said has he walked over to me and handed me the picture.

I took it and then turned back to my bed. I slid under the covers, but never went to lie down. I wasn't tired anymore. I wanted some answers.

"Who are you?" I asked. "And what do you want from me?"

Edward seemed surprised, but then this grin, a crooked grin, appeared on his face. "I may be the bad guy."

I shook my head. "I don't believe that, you saved me tonight."

Edward nodded his head. "I did."

"How…How did you know where to find me?"

"You can call it a gift."

"I don't buy it," I said quietly, I looked up at him. "I think you're different, that your whole family is different."

Edward shrugged and I knew that I was not going to get a straight answer. "You should go to sleep, it's late."

I fell back and placed my head on my pillow. Edward sat down on the bed next to me and began to rub the top of my head. I closed my eyes, trying to fight the sleep, but more importantly trying to fight the nightmares that always came with sleeping. Yet they never came.

In my dream I was standing with Edward in woods. It was dark, the moonlight casting shadows onto the floor. We were sitting down on the damp grass. Edward reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and then bent over like he was going to whisper in my ear. I laughed and tilted my head, turning just slightly to look at Edward and saw his eyes dark, his mouth open just slightly and…

I woke up with a start, shaking my head. I looked over to the rocking chair and saw that it was empty. The window was also closed. I reached over to turn on the lamp and shocked to see that it was already pass seven. I groaned realizing that I had to get up and get dressed quickly to be able to make it to school in time.

When I reached the final step, I heard a knock at the door. I went over to the window and saw a shiny, silver Volvo parked outside in my drive. I turned and grabbed my bag and jacket. I opened the door and was pleased to see Edward leaning against the door jam.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I closed the door and began to walk down the steps.

"I wanted to see if you would like a drive to school."

"I have my truck," I said stating the obvious.

"That you do, but I wanted to make sure that you were alright as well," Edward leaned closer to me. "Please." He breathed into my face and I became instantly frozen, staring into his eyes, I realized that I would do just about anything at that moment.

"Um…sure."

Edward straightened up and reached for my backpack. He led the way to the passenger side of his car and opened the door for me. I climbed in and was thankful that it was already warmed up.

"Edward, what exactly is going on?" I asked as he turned out of the drive way and onto the road.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, a few weeks ago you said that we would not make very good friends, so what does this mean?"

"I did say that and I still think we would not make good friends, but I also realized that I don't want to be apart from you either."

I placed my head back onto the head rest. "You don't need to take pity on me. I'm not any better than a broken doll, besides you know nothing about me."

Edward looked right at me, his eyes not even on the road. "I think I know more about you than you realize, besides, I know your secret."

I watched as he cast his eyes down toward my stomach, which I instinctively reached down to rub protectively. "You're hiding something as well."

"Am I?"

I nodded. "And I think that I might have realized what it is."

Edward turned quickly into the school parking lot and came to a screeching halt next to a very red convertible. "And what exactly do you think I am hiding?"

I swallowed and trying to figure out exactly I was going to explain this. "Last night I had a dream. You and I, together in the woods. We were talking and then you leaned over, like you wanted to kiss me on the neck, but instead you… bit me."

I watched as Edward's expression changed for a split second. "Why would I bite you?"

_Oh, great, now he will really think I am crackerjack_. "Your hands are cold, your eyes are constantly shifting colors, you're extremely pale and in my dream you ended up a…"

"A what Bella?"

I lowered my gaze. "Never mind, it doesn't matter anyways." I reached over and opened the door.

I could feel Edward putting his hand on my shoulder. "Are you afraid?"

I looked at him wondering why he would ask that. "No, actually the very opposite. For some reason I feel like I can trust you with my …with our lives. I never felt safer than I did last night when you rescued me. And when you left with your father, I felt empty. I can't explain it."

Edward looked up and over my shoulder. I followed his gaze and saw his family standing not too far off. "Do you trust me?"

I did not even need to think about it. "Yes."

Edward put his key back into the ignition and turned it on. He quickly pulled out of the parking spot and back onto the main road. I looked over my shoulder and saw his family already turning to walk to the school buildings for first period.

"Edward," I said. "We're going to be late for school."

"We're not going to school."

"Okay, then where are going?"

"Back to my house, you'll be safer there."

"Safer from what?"

Edward turned and looked at me his eyes growing slightly darker. "I will explain everything when we get to my house."

**A/N: I know that you all thought I dropped off the face of the earth with this story. Sorry for not updating in such a long time. I have been busy with completing another story as well as getting ready NaNoWriMo. I hope that you enjoy this chapter and will aim to have another chapter ready in the next week or so. Trying hard to get my Mojo back on and complete this story!!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The drive was quick; I did not even have much time to grasp the idea that we even left the school. Before I knew it, Edward turned down a long drive way and squealed to a stop in front of a giant house tucked way back in the woods. I put my head back onto the head rest, trying to get the rest of me to catch up with the speed that it took us to get us from point A to point B. I turned to look to my left and saw that Edward was not in the driver's seat. I cocked my head to the side trying to remember ever hearing the open and close. Shrugging I opened my door and stepped out into the bright open meadow that surrounded the house. I could see the small rays of sun trying to break through the clouds and bounce off of the windows.

I shut the door quietly and just stood there, not knowing what I was really to be doing. I took a heavy breath and then walked toward the steps and sat down. I was amazed at how tired I was becoming. At my last doctor's appointment, Megan said that the baby was doing very well and that everything was looking good. I was still shocked at how she was able to measure my stomach with a tape ruler and determined that the baby was well.

At the thought of the baby, I reached down and rubbed my belly. Five months down with four or so months left. There was still so much to do. Charlie has been great at trying to help me, but I wanted to do as much as I could on my own. I knew it was going to be tough, but something kept telling me that everything would be alright.

I closed my eyes and let the sun begin to shine onto my face; it felt wonderful, surreal almost. A town that very rarely sees the sun and here I was enjoying it in front of a gorgeous house. A gush of wind blew my hair around my eyes and when I reached up to move the strands I was shocked to see Edward staring intently at me.

"Are you hungry?" he asked looking at me and then down to where my hand was resting on my stomach.

I shook my head, but my lower half had a mind of its own as a rumbling noise came from it. Edward nodded his head and then walked up the steps and into the house. I stood up stiffly, not sure if I was to follow. I took hold of the rail and climbed the rest of the way up, pushing open the slightly a jarred door. I stood in a stunned silence at its splendor.

The far wall was nothing but a wall of glass that over looked the back yard. You could see the sun high in the air and casting rays and shadows on the Olympia mountain range. I looked over to my left and saw a white grand piano sitting on a raised hard wood platform. Then there was the grand staircase. If I closed my eyes, I could almost sense seeing someone like Scarlett O'Hare walking down it. Or maybe it was Edward's drop-dead gorgeous sister in a red Southern bell dress. Either way, it wasn't me that I saw walking down the stairs gracefully. Falling down would be more likely,

As I looked around, I realized that a place like this did not belong in the small town of Forks. Maybe one of the coastal island towns such as Bainbridge or San Juan, but not here, not in Forks. Then there was the other outcast that didn't belong, me. I very easily saw myself as the pile of shit on the white Persian rugs. I am the person that could stand out in a "What doesn't belong" picture.

I reached up and wiped a tear from my eye before it could fall. Who was I fooling? I needed to get out of here, as much as I would like to have answers and as much as I would like to get to know Edward better, this picture perfect family and the picture perfect house, it wasn't for me. They obviously had money. Me, I saw myself as Aladdin before he found the Genie. I started to think how grateful that I did not see this place last night, when it was dark.

Just as I placed my hand on the door knob, I could feel the icy cold breath on my neck. I turned and when I did my lips were just millimeters always from Edward's you could not even put a feather between us.

_Kiss me_, I thought, _show me that this is just a dream._ But even if it was, did I really want to wake up?

Edward stood up immediately and handed me a plate with a sandwich on it. "Were you going to leave?"

I took the plate and then followed him into the sitting room and took a seat on one of the many white sofas. I shrugged my shoulders taking a bite. I was thankful for the sandwich, if anything it would occupy my mouth for a moment. After I swallowed, I realized that Edward was still waiting for an answer.

"I don't belong here," I said quietly.

"It is I, who doesn't belong."

I looked up at him, trying to understand his word _who speaks like that anymore?_ "But this is your home."

Edward looked around for a moment and nodded his head. "Yes, but I don't belong here. I never really knew where I belonged, at least before…"

"Before what?"

Edward shot his head up and looked right at me. "I believe you were going to tell me what happened in your dream."

I smiled, two can play this game. "And I thought you were going to explain why we left school."

Edward shrugged, "Fair enough. I can't be out in the sun and I heard it was going to be a beautiful day."

My brows creased together. "Do you some kind of illness or something?"

Edward chuckled silently. "No, nothing like that. Back to your dream."

I took another bite of my sandwich. "You bit me." I looked up to see Edward's eyes go dark, but his face seemed to be masked in a perfect composed expression. "Now, why would you do something like that?"

"I'm more interested in your theories."

I sighed. "You're just going to laugh."

"Try me," Edward said standing up and walking closer to me. My eyes were mesmerized at how slow he moved, how silent his steps were.

I swallowed hard. "I ruled out radioactive spiders and you running around in spandex tights saving people."

Edward sat down right next to me tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. "What else is there? I want to hear you say it."

I looked straight ahead, my heart beginning to race at how close he was to me. I could smell his breath, I could hear…

"Your heart," my eyes widened at what I realized. "My heart is beating at extreme speeds, but yours isn't."

Edward backed up just slightly with a devilish grin on his face. "My heart hasn't beaten in a very long time."

"How long is a very long time?"

"Close to a hundred years."

I stood up suddenly. "I think it is time for me to leave."

"You're scared?"

I turned and looked at him trying to figure out if that was the real reason for leaving. The gold eyes, the cold skin, the lack of a heart beat. Everything in my core was telling me that I should try and run, but I did not want to run out the door, but run closer to the danger. I wanted to feel safe, protected, for once I wanted to be able to open up and share my deep, dark secrets. Granted my secrets were nothing compared to his. At this realization I backed up against the wall and slid down until I was sitting on the floor. I was tired of running; I was tired of constantly being afraid and looking over my shoulder. But most of all I was tired of not knowing what tomorrow would hold for me. To be able to see into the future and know that my baby and I will make it. That I would beat the odds that have been stacked up against me. That I would one day meet my own Prince Charming. For some reason as I looked up I could see Edward being my Prince Charming and I his Cinderella.

_Shhh, Bella, be very still, this won't hurt._

I shook my head at the memory. "You're not the scariest person that I have seen, nor am I afraid of you."

Edward didn't move from his spot.

_Bella, if you tell anyone, I will kill you._ I closed my eyes as I watched Dean climb off of me and slap me in the face. My head turned automatically as if the blow was happening right then and not in a memory.

"Bella," Edward said standing up from the sofa. With a blink of an eye he was knelling down in front of me. "I know that you are pregnant, besides from seeing the sonogram picture, I can hear the baby's heartbeat. I have known since you sat by me in that first day of biology. But what I don't understand is what you are running from. I won't hurt you, the monster inside of me may want to, but I couldn't live with myself if I did."

I looked up at him. "You want me," I said quietly. "But in your eyes, you want me in more than one way."

I could tell the words that left my mouth hit Edward hard; I bit down on my lip before I continued. "You and your family, all of you are vampires aren't you?"

Edward nodded his head slowly and has he did so, I could feel a brick being lifted off of my shoulders. I closed my eyes as I took this in.

"But you're different?" I said not sure if it was even a question. "You are around humans, which mean either you have very good control or all the myths of vampires drinking blood are not true."

"My family feeds off of animal blood but of course there are those that are not like my family that very much enjoys human blood."

"The sun, will you burn?"

Edward laughed. "No, the sun doesn't hurt us."

I looked around at all the brightness in the home and realized that it was nothing like how I saw a vampire's lira. "So your coffins must be upstairs. Or you hang upside down from the attic rafters?"

"Myths. We don't sleep."

I smiled at that. "What I would give to not close my eyes and sleep again, that seems like a blessing."

Edward jumped to his feet and picked me up off the ground. "Don't you ever say that, this life is far from a blessing, it is a curse. To never be able to go out in the sun, to never enjoy simple pleasures such as chocolate and to never be able to dream again."

I tensed in his strong hold and slowly he put me down. "Dreams are not what they are cracked up to be. Believe me."

I managed to get away from the wall and began to walk around looking at the rest of the down stairs. I looked over my shoulder and saw that Edward still has not moved, but was watching my every move. "So, Edward, if you think dreams are a blessing, what is it that you would dream about?"

I walked into the kitchen, shocked to see a chef quality kitchen in house full of vampires. I reached up and let my fingers graze along the stainless steel pots and pans that hung over the stainless steel island stove.

"You."

I jumped slightly and my heart began to race, but I quickly tried to quiet it down. I turned and again our lips were so close. It took every muscle in my arm to not reach up and touch his face, to run my hands through his messy bronze hair. But instead, I leaned back and placed my hands on the cold marble countertop.

"Me?" I squeaked.

"I can't explain it, Bella, but I'm drawn to you and not just your blood. There's something about you. I feel that I have been waiting my whole life for you. My dead heart began to beat that first day, when at the same time I thought you were the devil reincarnated, sent to destroy me. A silly human girl, I thought, was going to be the death of me."

I was backed up against a rock, literally. I didn't know what to say. I knew what I wanted to do, but was I ready for that. Was he?

"There you are bro?" a booming voice said from the outside of the kitchen door. "Look at you skipping out on class before the sun decided to shine."

I turned my head to look at the burly man with dark hair and golden eyes. He caught my eye as well and smiled.

"Hey look guys, Edward brought home dinner!"

Edward turned and spread his legs and arms around me, his back pressing me farther into the counter. A low growl escaped his lips, much like a lion protecting his prey. My eyes widened at what he was doing.

"Emmett," Edward said. "Bella is not dinner!"

Emmett held his hands in the air. "Just kidding."

Edward relaxed his stance just slightly as the rest of his siblings came into the room. I already knew who they were; everyone in Forks knew who they were.

"Hi, Bella," Alice said coming up to me. "I am glad that you are doing well." I watched as her eyes glazed over just slightly. "OHHH, we need to plan a shopping trip, and very soon."

"Excuse me?"

"You know for the baby," Alice said leaning toward me and whispering, but I had the strange feeling that the whispering was for dramatic effect.

"Hi," a blond girl said stepping in front of Alice. "I never introduced myself. I'm Rosalie. If you ever want to talk, let me know, I have been through a similar circumstance like what happened to you last night. Except mine didn't end as well as yours did. No Knight and Shining armor to my rescue."

"Anyways," Edward said and I could tell that he wanted the subject changed. "That one that so rudely interrupted us is Emmett, and Jasper is the one standing by the door."

I looked over to him and raised my hand to wave, but by the time I did, he was already gone.

Edward lowered his head to my ear, his icy breath sending chills down my spine. "He has the hardest time around humans; he is relatively new to our lifestyle. But everyday he does better."

"Yea, for me?" I said.

Alice's eyes did that strange glazing thing. "Carlisle and Esme will be back from their hunting trip in four minutes and nineteen seconds."

Edward just nodded. "I can already hear them; they are just over the range."

I looked back and forth between him and his sister. "Wait a minute. What do you mean you can hear them? And how does she know the exact second they will be home?"

"Opps," Alice said. "I guess we came home too soon. Edward?"

"Well, some vampires have unique gifts, or powers. It is believed that whatever our strongest quality was as a human, we brought that quality with us, but intensified. Alice can see the future."

My eyes widened at the idea.

"But," Alice started. "I can only see how a decision is played out. For instance, I saw you…"

"Alice!!" Edward hissed.

Alice crossed her arms over her chest and glared right back at Edward, even with her short statue, she looked menacing. "She's going to find out soon enough."

"What about me?" I asked putting a hand on Edward's shoulder. "Edward, what does Alice see about my future, I need to know, that has been the one thing that has been on my mind since I made the decision to come…" my voice trailed at the final part of what I just said: decision. "You saw that I was coming?"

Alice looked to Edward and then to me, she nodded her head. "I saw a teenage girl coming into Edward's life who would change Edward in more ways than any of us ever could. I saw Edward has choosing this same girl to be his…"

"Alice that's enough for today," Edward turned to block my view from Alice. "Like I was saying, Jasper has the gift of empathy; he can control emotions, while I can read minds."

My eyes grew open again at all the thoughts that have been wandering through my head since the first day. I put my hand to my mouth realizing that he already knew my secrets, he knew about the rape and the pregnancy. My fears in how I was going to raise the baby, my nightmares. Edward has seen it all.

"I need to go," I said ducking under his arm.

"Bella?" Edward called after me.

"Wait, Edward," I could hear Alice say from the kitchen. "Give her two minutes and then go find her. She's ready."

Ready? What was I ready for? I opened the front door and stood next to the stupid shiny Volvo, wishing now that I denied his request for a ride to school. I grabbed my backpack from the front seat and put it over my shoulder. I was not even sure where we were in comparison to home, but starting with the driveway was my best option. I made it until the end when I could feel arms wrap around my waist and get pulled up onto his back.

We were running at speeds that are not even considered to be real. After a few minutes we stopped and Edward put me down on the ground. As I stood, looking around to figure out where Edward dumped me, I was surprised to see a meadow full of sunlight. The array of spring flowers just beginning to blossom. I walked into the middle of the meadow and reached down to pick a small pink flower and inhaled the scent.

"Alice says you're ready," Edward said from behind me.

I stood up and looked around but all I could see was the woods and shadows. "You would know. You are the one that can read my thoughts?"

"No, I can't," Edward said and I could hear a hint of regret. "I can't read you, Bella."

I let out a breath of air that I did not even know that I was holding. "Come out, Edward."

Edward stepped out slowly from the shadows that he was hiding in and I watched as his skin came to life like a giant crystal. As he stood there in the sun, his skin sparkled like a thousand facet diamond. I realized then that he was beyond my wildest dreams. At the same time, I realized that I found what I was looking for. Just like I think he knew all along what he was looking for. We were both diamonds in the rough.

"You are so beautiful," I said more to myself.

Edward's lips turned up just slightly. "Not as beautiful as you."

I could feel my checks burn as the blood boiled up. Edward walked into the clearing with his shirt unbuttoned and reached out to touch my cheek. I pressed my heated skin into his palm and relished in his cool touch. He took hold of my hand and walked me to the middle of the meadow. He took off his shirt and placed it on the ground for me to sit on and then very gently he placed his hands on my shoulders to get me to lie.

"Lie very still," he said quietly.

I swallowed, but did not move a muscle as he lifted up my shirt and exposed my baby bump. He looked at my stomach as it moved up and down with each breath. Very slowly he lowered his head onto the baby, with his eyes locked with mine, I watched as he listened.

"Your heart and the baby's almost beats in unison," Edward said quietly and then turned to rub his nose along my stretched skin. "Already smells like you."

Edward placed his head back on my stomach to continue to listen; I reached up on instinct and ran my fingers through his hair. Now, this is how being pregnant was meant to be. I was to find love and have a baby with the person I love. Not the other way around.

"You and your baby," Edward said quietly. "I vow to always protect you. The two of you are my life. You don't need to ever be afraid or worry again, Bella, you can trust me."

"What exactly has Alice seen about my future?"

Edward looked up for just a moment and smiled. "She saw this."

I could feel hot tears begin to fall from my eyes and my lips begin to tremble. I took a deep breath. "It was a Halloween and Homecoming party…."

**A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and I am so excited that no one has written me off!! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, I enjoyed writing it. Lucky for all of you, you did not need to wait for very long. I think I have got my groove on!!**

**I am also beta'ing two stories, so if you are looking for more to read go check out:**

**Kimberly128 – Have a Little Faith – all vampires, cannon pairing **

**Foreverafreak89 – Buy One get Five – all human, cannon pairing**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

I closed my eyes and let my mind wander to that night. For once, I was ready to talk and tell someone my story. Stories that not even my parents knew about. All they knew was the end result. With my fingers rubbing through Edward's hair, I began to open up.

"It was a Halloween and Homecoming party combined. I didn't really want to go, but my best friend talked me into it. Actually I was Jane's alibi. She always told her parent's that she was at my house on the weekends, when in truth she was always with her boyfriend, Dean.

"That night she and I were going to his house for the party of the year. All of his parties are the party of the year, though. I could tell the moment that we drove up to his house that it was going to be a mistake. It was early, yet the yard looked like the party has been going on for weeks."

I shifted just slightly and Edward sat up, but his hands stayed close. I shook my head just slightly, afraid to continue. I knew that I was safe and that Edward would not let anything happen to me, but I could still taste them on me. I could still hear their laughter.

"You don't have to," Edward said looking at me.

"No, but I need to. You told me your family's deep dark secret and if we are to be friends, you will need to know mine."

I took a deep breath letting it out slowly. "People say you get over things like this, but I don't think anyone ever could. At night, I close my eyes, wishing for sleep to come, but at the same time dreading the fact that I will be all alone.

"It was exceptionally dark that night, the only light coming from the lanterns that were hanging up throughout the house and the yard. Jane left immediately to go look for Dean and I began to mingle with some of the kids. Most of them were out of my league, all jock strap guys and cheerleader types.

"Someone came around with a tray of beer or something. I picked up a cup and began to search for Jane, after five minutes of bumping into people, I was ready to go. I never found her. I found Dean, though. I asked if he saw Jane and he nodded and pointed toward the stairs. He took hold of my arm and guided me up. I never thought that it was odd. I have been to his house numerous times and I have even been to his room.

"He opened the door, it was dark, but there was enough light from the hallway to know that Jane was not in there. I turned around to leave when Dean took hold of my arms and pushed me farther into the room."

I could feel Edward's chest begin to rumble and his hand grew into a tight, white fist. I just closed my eyes, wishing that if he could read my mind, now would be the time to do it.

"_Look, boys, I found another," Dean said into the dark, with a hint of laughter._

_I turned around as he pushed me through his room and roughly threw me on his bed. My head landed hard. I reached up to rub the soreness._

"_Dean, your girlfriends, best friend, why? She'll squeal for sure," a voice said that I did not recognize._

"_Hey, I don't care; she has a whole or two, which is all I need." _

"I looked around but could only see shadow figures. It was not until they all stepped closer to the bed that I knew they were all from the football team, four of them, including Dean. All of them already had their pants down and I knew immediately what they were planning to do."

"_Please, Dean don't." I begged._

"_Shhh, Bella, don't move and we won't hurt you," Dean said as his hands began to slide up underneath my shirt._

"I wanted to scream, to fight, to do something, but I knew it would be pointless, five boys total in the room and a useless girl. So, I did as I was told, I didn't move. I never made a sound. I kept my eyes closed the entire time. Praying that someone would walk in, but of course no one did. Each of them had a turn, lasting about fifteen minutes each."

I watched as Edward reached up and took a tear from my cheek. "It hurt so badly. I was a virgin and they took that away from me. When it was finally over with, Dean stood up and slapped me hard across the check telling me that if I ever told anyone that he would kill me.

"When he left I stayed there trying to figure out what I needed to do next. But the only thing I could think of was to gather up my stuff and get out of there. I ended up walking the couple of miles back to my house. I was so numb. But when I entered my mom's perfectly decorated apartment I never felt so dirty."

I watched as Edward stood up and then was out of my sight, running so quickly through the woods. The only things left in his presences were the leaves shifting.

"Edward?" I called out.

"Give me a minute."

I decided to continue, I knew that if I stopped now I may not have the nerve to keep going. I knew that wherever Edward was, he could still hear me.

"I kicked off my tennis shoes and unbuttoned my shirt. Finally, in the quiet sanctuary of being in my home and in my room the numbness began to wear off. The tears that have been stinging in my eyes finally began to spill. I walked the short distance to my private bathroom and flipped the light on. Taking in the image of myself, my heart began to crumble; I could already feel my body getting weaker and I was so tired. I took off the rest of my clothing very quickly. I wanted the memories to be gone.

"I picked up the pile of clothes and stuffed them into the garbage can, already planning on taking them to the street for garbage pickup. Standing in the bright florescent light of my bathroom, though, I could fully see the damage that was inflicted on me, and boy did look like a freight. My long brown hair, which is usually perfectly straight and parted just so, was a tangled mess. I could already see the bruise around my eye and lip. I had small cut around my right ear and blood leaking slightly from my mouth.

"I lifted my arms up and could see the hand prints on both sides of my ribs and on my arms, from where they were holding me down. I turned from the mirror wanting to just throw a chair into it. I was broken, shattered into a million pieces, knowing that no one would ever want me. I think that hurt more than the rape."

"I want you," Edward said from behind.

I turned but he wasn't there.

"I reached in and turned on the hot water, I stepped into the shower, ready to wash the grim and dirt away. I picked up my sponge and squirted my favorite strawberry bath soap and began to scrub, starting at my feet and moving up. I wanted it gone. I scrubbed so hard and so fast that I knew my skin was bound to blister and pull away. But I didn't care. I was planning on scrubbing all through the morning, if that meant I was clean again.

"After Christmas break is when I found out I was pregnant and my mother, Renee, immediately thought having an abortion would be the right choice. But I couldn't do. So I runaway and you know the rest."

I turned in a circle and then walked toward the far side of the meadow, still searching for Edward. "You can leave at anytime."

Edward came up behind me and wrapped his hands around my waist. "Why would I leave you?"

"Because I'm broken," I lifted my shirt to expose my belly. "I am a victim of rape, who is pregnant with one of five guys being the father. Who will ever want to be with me again after hearing my story?"

"You made the right choice."

I looked at Edward. "You don't know that."

"Don't I?" Edward said pointing to his head. "Alice has already seen you."

The sun was already beginning to set behind the trees. "So where does Alice see me and my child."

Edward smiled just slightly. "Not now. We should get you home, it is bound to rain soon and I would hate for you to get sick. Besides, you have a biology test that you need to study for."

I wrinkled my nose. "What does it matter? It is recommended that I try and finish school early; which is never going to happen."

"Never say never," Edward said and then lifted me back up onto his back. "Hold on."

"Wait," I said. "Why were you hiding?"

Edward took a deep breath. "I didn't want you to see me when I'm mad. Hearing you tell me about what those guys did, I wanted to go and hunt them down."

"But you stayed."

Edward nodded. "I love you. I will never leave you nor will I ever hurt you."

**A/N: This chapter I ended up cutting in half to make the next one, I thought that there was just way too much happening, the next part of this chapter is soon to follow!! I hope that you enjoy! Remember to review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

And he never did. For two months he stayed by my side, watching my every move. More importantly he watched as my baby grew. He quickly stepped into the role of a loving father, but I had the feeling that deep down inside it would not last. After all, who really gets their Prince Charming and live happily ever after.

If Edward was not with me, then one of his siblings were. I was granted an automatic welcome into his home, but more importantly into his world. A world, that no human should ever be in, but I welcomed it with open arms. In truth it took my mind off of my past.

It was nearing the end of May, the school year quickly coming to a close. With about eight weeks left of my pregnancy I was grateful to have the summer off. I struck a deal with the principle that I would complete my senior year as every other senior would, behind the desk. Esme has already stepped up and volunteered to be honorary babysitter and grandmother. I could not help though to feel bad that I was having something that both Esme and Rosalie will never have the chance to have. I knew that deep down the two of them were living vicariously through me, and why not. Even though I saw them as the most beautiful people in the world that had everything, they saw the same in me.

"So," Alice was saying as I looked out my window. "With eight weeks left, we still have a lot to do. I already ordered the crib and Emmett and Jasper said that they will plan on coming over next weekend to work on the addition to the house. Of course Charlie will object, but I will convincingly say that it will be for the best and that I would hate for him to hurt his back. I am going to need to make sure that the boys move at a more human pace though. Rosalie says that everything is going really well for the baby shower, I just wish I could see what your mother is planning to do; she keeps changing her mind. Bella, it would have been so much easier if you moved in with us, but at least I am grateful you are allowing us to help."

"I never tell him," I spoke up quietly, mostly to myself, rubbing my seventh month belly.

"Tell who, what?" Alice said stopping her jumbling of words.

"He always tells me he loves me, that he loves us. But I have never said it back," I turned from the window and looked at Alice. "How does he know that he loves me? How do I know that I love him?"

Alice stood up and walked over to me. "Bella, Edward loves you and your baby more than any other creature or human ever could. He has loved you from the very beginning. Our whole family has. You love Edward, just because you never said it, doesn't mean that he doesn't know."

I shook my head. "Alice, what is love? And don't give me the 'Let me Count the Ways' speech. For me, what is love and do I love him?"

Alice tilted her head just slightly and the held her hand out toward my stomach. "May I?"

I nodded.

I watched as she rested her hand on my large belly and at her cool touch I could feel my baby kick. "Your Mommy wants to know what love is," Alice started off, whispering quietly. "Isn't she silly?"

If I did not know any better I would have thought that Alice had tears in her eyes. "Bella, this is love," She pointed to my belly. "You made a choice that so many others would have done the opposite of, just because it would be the easy way out. Especially with this child being conceived they way it was. You love the baby so much because who accept it. The same with Edward, you never once questioned his actions or lifestyle. That's what love is."

I moved over to sit down in the rocking chair. "Alice, I'm scared."

Alice sat down by my feet and lifted up my right foot to begin messaging the achiness out of it. "What is it that you are scared of?"

I looked toward my window as the clouds began to thicken. I knew that it was beginning to get dark outside. "Where's Edward? He's never gone this long?"

"You're changing the subject, but he's out hunting with the boys. Bella?"

"I can't sleep at night when he's not here."

"You know that I will stay if you…" Alice's eyes glazed over and her body became slightly weak. I knew by now that she was having a vision. "Bella?"

I reached over for her hands. "What Alice? What did you see?"

Alice looked at me for a moment and then shook her head as if to clear it, "Nothing. You have nothing to be afraid of and just tell Edward you love him. Make it special."

Alice stood up and then went over to the door. "I will check on you in a little while, Edward is on his way home, he will be back before you are ready for bed."

I stayed where I was looking out the window while Alice left, now with worry. I picked up the latest ultrasound picture of my baby and looked at how much he has grown. I could have found out the sex, but I decided that it really didn't matter to me what I was having.

"Make it special," I mused as a huge clap of thunder shacks the windows. I shuddered and wrapped the quilt tighter around me.

"Bella?" I opened my eyes to see the most perfect face in the world. "Come one let's get you to bed."

I smiled tiredly. "I must have gone to sleep."

Edward wrapped his arms around my torso and carried me bridal style to my bed. He pulled the blankets back and then took of my jeans off so I would be more comfortable. Once I was tucked in, Edward climbed in next to me, his hand draping lazily across my belly.

"Are the eyes gone?"

"What eyes, Bella?" Edward asked me shifting his weight just slightly. I could tell that he was trying to look at me.

"The red ones, are they gone? Every night they come."

Edward reached over to shake my shoulder but I was so tired. "Bella what eyes?!"

I closed my eyes to go back to sleep when I remembered that I was to tell Edward something. I shot up like a bullet and turned to look at Edward.

"Bella, I thought you were sleeping."

"I am…was, but I forgot I needed to ask you something."

"Only if you tell me about the red eyes that you saw."

I looked at Edward with confusion. "I don't know. I just thought I saw something the past couple of nights while you were gone. They looked like beady, red eyes. Probably a cat or something," I waved my hand to dismiss it. Edward did not look like he bought my reply but I continued anyways.

I sat up and tucked my knees underneath me. I reached for Edward's hand and placed it on my belly. I looked into his eyes which were now a rich butterscotch color after his hunting trip and smiled softly.

"I love you, Edward and I want to spend the rest of my life with you," I shrugged slightly. "Personally, I would like to spend all of eternity with you, but I know that I never will be able to, so I will take what I can get. I want you to be my baby's daddy. But I also want to marry you."

Edward dropped his hand from mine and looked away from me. I immediately felt tears of rejection start to fill my eyes. I said the words for the first time and laid my life on the line and he turns away.

I stood up and pointed to the window. "Leave. I can see now that this was just a show. A way to pass time or something. All those times that you have told me that you loved me," I shook my head and waited for him to go.

I heard the vibration of his phone and turned my head as he answered. I knew it was pointless to try and listen in. After a few seconds, he stood up and walked over to me. Kissing me gently on the forehead before turning to go out the window.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he whispered. "I need to go but I will be back."

"Don't bother," I said quietly.

I knew that my words would cause him pain, but I didn't care. I heard the window close and then I went to my bed and picked up my pillow, throwing it hard across the room. He said he would love me forever, I laughed at the irony.

**Edward's POV:**

Bella finally said it, she finally told me "I love you," and did she just ask me to marry her? I turned from her beautiful face and took my hand away from the only other person in the world that makes my dead heart beat to its own drum. Me, a daddy?

This wasn't the way marriage worked, or at least the way I was raised. I am to be asking her, not the other way around. And is raising a child by a monster be in his or hers best interest, let alone a house full of monsters. I squeezed my eyes shut for just a fraction of a second. When I opened them I could see the pain on _my_ Bella's face as she took my actions as rejection.

She stood up and pointed to the window, asking for me to leave. Just as I was standing up, my phone began to vibrate. I reached into my pocket and saw that it was Alice.

"I'm busy," I said quickly and very low.

"I know, you need to come home now, something's going to happen and you will need to make a decision."

"What, Alice?"

"Just come home."

I hung up the phone and slammed it back into my jeans. I walked to my angel and gave her small kiss on the forehead. I could already smell the salty tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Bella," I whispered. "I need to go but I will be back."

"Don't bother," Bella said quietly.

I climbed out the window not wanting her to see how much those two words hurt. I was half way up the street when I could hear something being thrown across her room and then her sobs that I knew were shaking her whole frame.

I busted through the front door of my house, almost taking it off of its hinges.

"This better be good," I roared.

Alice was standing in front of me. "Well, it's about time she finally told you and I am so excited that she asked you to marry her."

I ran my hand through my hair and let out a small growl. "You called me to say how excited you are? I was speechless, Alice. I left Bella hurt and confused. So, either you had a vision and you tell me, or I am going to leave."

"Edward?" Carlisle said from the stairway.

I looked at him and realized that the rest of my family was already in the foyer. I turned my attention back to Alice.

"We are expecting visitors; someone has been tracking Bella for a very long time."

"What? I left Bella alone," I went to turn to go back out the door but my brothers were there to stop me.

"There's more," Alice said.

I swallowed hard and closed my eyes to see her vision.

_Dark streets, Bella walking alone, constantly looking over her shoulder, she looked like she was in pain. A man off to the side in a dark alley. His eyes glowing red._

I turned to look at Alice. "The night of the rape."

Alice nodded her head to confirm. "He has been following her since, but staying just out of range. But, Edward, he's not after Bella."

I narrowed my eyes together, "If he is not tracking Bella, then who is he …"

"The baby," Alice said quietly as the whole room became quiet, only in my head could I hear everyone's reactions.

I lowered my head. "When Alice?" I finally said after a couple of minutes.

"I can see Bella giving birth, but as far as a set time frame, I don't know. The birth, that is the baby's decision, not something one of us can make."

"I can induce her," Carlisle said. "Throw the vampire off track. Maybe buy us some time."

I looked to Alice as she checked if that decision would work but all I got in return was a shake of the head.

_No bastard is going to get within a hundred mile radius of Bella_, Emmett's voice was loud and clear over Rosalie's growls. I nodded my head to let them know I heard.

"What's the plan, then?" Jasper asked putting his hand protectively around Alice's waist. "And can you see why he wants the baby?"

"Not clearly, but I think it has something to do with his mate. As far as a plan, we just need to sit tight and watch Bella. And Edward, you need to make your own decision, because in the end of my vision…"

"NO!!" I said and picked up the chair I was standing next to and threw across the room, coming inches from it going out the glass windows, but still doing enough damage to the walls.

"Alice," Esme said quietly. "Please share with us so we know what we are dealing with."

I looked at Alice, pleading her with my eyes not to.

"Edward will have a choice; one of them will not make it alive."

"There should be no issue, just change Bella," Esme said.

"And subject her to this life, no!" I yelled back and immediately hated myself for doing so after I saw the pain on Esme's face.

"What about the baby?" Rosalie asked. "Do they get the baby, or is it Edward that will need to choose which life is more important?"

Alice locks eyes with me. "I can't see that. The decision hasn't been made. But there is one way to keep them both safe and only Edward can do that. Isn't that right, Edward?"

"It's not my decision to make, Alice," I said with a hiss.

"I think Bella has already made the decision."

I watched as her head filled with my conversation with Bella right before I left and how it ended with Bella on the floor, holding her stomach, crying.

There was only one thing that I could do, that would turn this wrong into a right.

"Keep an eye on Bella and call me if any of your visions change," I said going down the hall toward the garage. "I want everyone to be watching her."

"Where are you going, son?" Carlisle asked.

"Chicago, there is something I need to do."

As I skidded out of the driveway in my Volvo and aimed my car for the East I already regretted my decision to drive. Flying would have been faster, but it would have also been much noisier and right now I needed the quiet. I needed to think, free of everyone else's thoughts.

I replayed Alice's visions in my head from the very first day that she had seen Bella. Alone and scared holding a pregnancy stick in her hand. Seeing her march through the picketers outside the abortion clinic and then when she made her final decision to board a plane and come out here to be with father.

I replayed the vision of us in the meadow that Alice saw me resting my head on Bella's belly, being perfectly at ease and content, just listening to my baby's heartbeat.

My baby.

Something that I thought would never happen, not in my existence. Granted, it wasn't mine, but I felt a connection to him from the beginning.

When I began to see the skyscrapers of Chicago rise in the horizon I lowered my speed just slightly and focused just on the visions.

The vision of Bella holding her child for the first time and with me right next to her.

The vision of Bella and the baby growing older, while I stayed the same.

I slammed my hand against the steering wheel, making a sizeable dent. Not in one of Alice's visions over the last nine months has there been another vampire present. I knew immediately that it was my fault. I brought this vampire to Bella and her baby. I set the trap and the other monster took the bait.

I picked my phone up off the seat and thought about throwing it out the window. Alice has been trying to call me since the second I left the house and each time I have ignored it.

I flipped it open not even bothering with a hello.

"It's not your fault; he has been tracking her since that night. He would have found her regardless of where she is living. If nothing else, Bella and her baby are much better off with you in the picture. Now hurry up and get back home to your family. And I'm not talking about us."

I let the phone drop to the floorboard and pressed hard on the accelerator. There was just one place I needed to go and then I can leave this city, knowing that I will not need to return for a very long time.

Once I had the ring tucked safely in my pocket, I left the bank and headed back for home. I already made my decision and I hope that Alice will get the hint that I needed her help to finish it off.

I took my time getting back home. I knew that Bella was safe and that my family was taking every precaution known to man to keep an eye on her. After stopping to hunt and spend sometime in the isolated Wyoming area I finally made it to the Swan's home. I knew it was late when I saw Charlie step foot on the porch after my headlights flashed through the windows.

_Does that boy not know that Bella isn't here?_

I chuckled slightly and then got out of the car. "Chief Swan."

"Edward?" Charlie said nodding his head. "Bella is out with your sisters and you mother having some girl time spa thing."

"I know sir," I swallowed hard and took an unnecessary breath. "But I was hoping that you and I could talk."

Charlie nodded and headed back into the house; I followed him in and took a sit on the couch while Charlie sat in his favorite recliner.

_At least I can't use my gun on him for knocking my daughter up. I still wish she would tell me who it was. _ Charlie's eyes kept going back and forth between me and his gun that was hanging up by the front door.

If he only knew!

"As you know, Bella and I have become very close, but what you don't know is that Bella has asked me if I would consider being her baby's father," I stopped to watch for a reaction from Charlie, but his mind was completely clear. "Sir, I was raised to do things in a certain order and I know that we are young, but Bella has already been thrown a bad hand."

I stood up and walked over to the mantel that held the many years of school pictures and I could see Bella grow up in front of my eyes.

_By God, please don't tell me you are going to take my little girl away from me. He's a nice kid and all, but still, so young._

I turned to look at Charlie. "If I am to accept what Bella asked of me, which I want to very badly, I need to ask you first, for her hand in marriage. It seems only right for a child to be brought into this world by two people who are deeply in love with each other and have the baby be raised by two parents. Chief Swan, May I have your permission to marry your daughter?"

_What do you mean you have grenadine in a bottle? Mind giving me some._

I tried not to laugh as Charlie began to put my words together and come out of his haze and numbness, "No, sir, I am asking if I can marry your daughter."

Charlie stood up and walked over to where I was standing and picked up a picture of Bella. "You know when she six, she came here and told me that one day her Prince Charming was going to come and sweep her off of her feet. I laughed at her of course thinking there was no such person.

"Then when she came here after Christmas with the news of her pregnancy and rape, all I could think of was how will I be able to save my Cinderella and find her, her Prince Charming. Who would have thought that he would come waltzing in on his own?

"But, Edward, marriage is hard, especially with a baby, I ought to know. Are you sure you can handle this, because frankly, if something happens and you leave, I do not see Bella bouncing back."

I looked at the same picture of Bella that Charlie was holding it appeared to be a Halloween custom, dressed in blue, my favorite color, of being Cinderella.

"Sir, I'm not going anywhere, and neither is my family, at least not until we finish school. My biological parents left everything to me so financially I am very secure."

"What about college?"

"There's time for that and like I said, my family will be around. I want to do the right thing. I know that Bella's baby isn't mine, but I have loved Bella since the first time I saw her and every time I feel the baby kick, my heart just wants to burst. I may not have helped create that baby, but I want to help in creating a world that it deserves. A world where they both can be safe and protected.

Charlie shook his head, but no negative thoughts were coming from him. "When were you thinking about …you know...marriage?" His nose wrinkling just a bit at the final word.

I smiled at knowing that I had his acceptance. "The sooner the better, the baby won't wait forever."

Charlie nodded his head and then held out his hand, I took it willingly. "Welcome to the family."

_Playing Cinderella  
Riding her first bike  
Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight  
Running through the sprinkler with a big Popsicle grin  
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him  
In her eyes I'm Prince Charming  
But to him I'm just some fella riding in and stealing Cinderella_

--Chuck Wicks "Stealing Cinderella"

**A/N: Thank you all again for the wonderful reviews!! I hope htat you enjoy this chapter, I think it is by far one of my favorites!! **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Okay, first off, thank you all for all the reviews and the alerts, I am trying to reply back, but for those that have not received anything please know that I appreciate it!! Secondly, I had a couple reviews saying that it looks like I am moving too fast, so I will try and slow down. There is a lot to my plot that I want to cover, and I will be throwing in bits and pieces of the entire **_**Twilight Saga**_** into this story! Warning: this chapter has some mild fluff and some tender moments……So enjoy!!**

**Chapter 11**

I walked up the walkway to the front porch totally wiped out. I looked over my shoulder and saw that Alice was still sitting in the car watching my every move. I waved one last time and then walked inside. I could smell the fish fry that Charlie likes to eat lingering in the kitchen. My nose immediately began to winkle at the smell and I tried to keep it from going to my stomach by putting my arm over my nose.

I have been thankful to not have many problems with sickness after the first trimester, but every time I smelled anything fried I was very much so feeling it. Maybe that was the reason that Alice decided to have Rosalie, Esme and I to spend the weekend in Seattle. She saw what Charlie was planning on eating.

I hung my coat quickly and walked into the living room. Charlie was sitting in his recliner watching the latest baseball game.

"Hey, dad, I'm home," I said quietly and tapping him on the shoulder.

"Oh, hey Bells," Charlie said as he put his feet down and sat up. "How was your girl's weekend out?"

I let out a very long sigh and sat down on the couch. "Exhausting. I am actually very excited to be back home. At least I can sleep in my own bed."

"Well, tell me about all that you did?"

I looked at Charlie like he just fell off of his rocker. "Dad, are you feeling alright?"

His eyes crossed at my question. "Sure, why do you ask?"

"Because you never ask about any of my trips when I go out with Alice."

"Oh, well then you caught me," Charlie said standing up and walking over to me. "I just can't help but feel like things are going to change. And I have missed out on so much of your life as it was. I just hope I get to be in this little ones life much more than I was in yours." Charlie placed his hand on my stomach and began to rub just slightly.

"Daddy," I said at his closeness and our lack of touch. "You're scaring me, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I guess I am just having an old man moment, that's all," Charlie said and then very quickly took his hand away much like you would when you pet a dog and it just bites you. "What was that? Did I do something?"

I smiled and wiped my eyes quickly. "No, the baby just kicked. Here," I reached over and put his hand back in the same spot and watched as my father's eyes became like giant saucers.

"Wow, I think you might have a soccer player on your hands," he said as he settled back into the couch, his hand staying on my stomach. "So, when exactly are you due?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "The doctor says my due date is August 7, so about eight weeks or so left. But you never know."

Charlie nodded his head. "You were actually about week early. I can still remember the day that your mother went into labor. You think she is flighty now, you should have seen her the day of your birth. Never saw anything like it before. She was constantly looking around asking if we remembered everything. Would you believe we were half way to the hospital and I had to turn around because she forgot to turn off the oven?"

I laughed and nodded my head. "Actually, I think I can."

"It was a surprise that we even made it to the hospital in time. Another couple of minutes, I think I would have had to pull over and call for backup."

We sat there talking for hours just about everything and then sometimes just about nothing. I missed this growing up and I have the feeling that I will miss it even more after the baby comes. I told him about the three days that I spent in Seattle, how Alice dragged me to every maternity store in the city and Rosalie had me in every baby store. The only sane person was Esme, who just smiled like a proud soon to be grandmother. The best part of the entire weekend was when Alice told me that the baby shower was off. When I asked her why, the only thing that she said was something came up.

Personally, I was grateful. I hated when people gave me presents, so the less I get the better off I will be. But I could not help but wonder in the back of my mind what could have happened. Rosalie and Alice have been so excited about the shower that whatever it was, it must be huge.

I closed my eyes for a just a moment and let out a huge yawn.

"I think someone should get to bed," Charlie said standing up and reaching down for my hands. "You have a doctor's appointment in the morning. Is Edward going with you, or would you like for me to come?"

At the mention if Edward's name I cringed. In all the hustle and bustle of the weekend I actually dismissed the night that he walked out and never came back. I told him that I love him and he just leaves. My heart pulled just slightly but I tried hard to bury it. When I asked the Cullen girls about it and where Edward has been the whole weekend, they all would just look at each other. I pulled Alice aside just this morning and asked again and that is when she told me that he had some business to take care of and that he was fine.

But where did that leave us?

The only question that I didn't ask, not because I didn't want to know, because I did, I just wanted to hold it in my heart that we were going to be okay. That I just surprised him by not just telling him that I love him after months of being together, but that I asked him to marry me. What was I thinking? Any man in his right mind would have been running in the opposite direction.

Maybe I was moving too fast for him?

Then again, we have never really even kissed. Not that toe popping kiss like you see in the movies. More like the way friends kiss. I guess that is what he saw me as – just a friend.

I stood up with Charlie and together we walked through the house, turning off the lights and locking up for the night.

"No, you don't need to come, it is just a routine exam, and nothing major is going to happen."

Charlie shrugged his shoulders as we began to climb up the stairs. "If you say so, but if you change your mind…"

"I will promise to ask," I had a smile on my face as I thought about our daughter-father time and how he wanted to be involved.

I was just reaching to open the door o my bedroom when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at my father and I thought that I saw tears in his eyes.

"Before I forget," Charlie said before disappearing into his room, returning just a couple of minutes later holding a small dark blue jewelry box. "Edward came by and dropped this off, he said he found it and thought of the baby."

I took the box from him with confusion. "When did he come by?"

"Oh, he stopped by last night. Good night, Bells sleep tight."

I opened the door to my room and placed the small box on my dresser. I looked at it for a moment before gathering up my toiletries to take a shower and get ready for bed even though I was at the point where I preferred to sleep with next to nothing on. But I couldn't exactly walk around the house with no clothes on.

When I came back into my room I went straight to the box and carried it over to my bed. I reached over and turned on my lamp. It was your average children's jewelry box. The outside appeared to be hand painted much like that of a fairytale scene. I opened the top slowly, and watched as Snow White popped up and began to dance in a circular motion. Immediately I recognized the melody of "Someday My Prince Will Come" and tilted my head to the side as I listened.

"I thought he was a Prince," I said softly as I closed the box.

Just as I was putting it on the nightstand I saw that there was a small drawer. I pulled it open and sitting in the soft velvet lining was a ring. Not just any a ring, a huge ring. Oval shaped with many diamonds nestled together. I picked the ring up and felt the weight of it. I quickly put it back, afraid that I would break it or worse, lose it. I snapped the drawer closed and then climbed under the covers. After I flipped the light off my eyes kept drifting back to the box with its hidden treasure.

"What a sick and cruel joke," I muttered and managed to roll over onto my side.

My eyes popped open though as I saw the butterscotch eyes of Edward staring right at me, holding the very ring that I placed securely back in the box not even five seconds ago. I looked at him for just a moment, trying to think I was dreaming or not.

Edward began to smile his crooked smile that I loved and I knew that there was no way that I could dream up that smile so perfectly.

I sat up in bed slowly afraid that if I made any sudden movements he would vanish.

"You left," I said quietly. "I tell you that I love you and you just left."

Edward nodded and I saw pain and hurt in his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry," I started trying to keep my voice even and not get too loud. "Sorry, that's' the best you could come up with after three days of being gone?"

"I had to go, I was…it was wrong for me to stay."

I looked at him for a second, trying to choose my words wisely, "Wrong for you to stay or wrong for you to accept what I was asking?"

Edward reached out and took hold of my hands. "A little of both, I guess," he took in a breath and brought my hands to his lips kissing each one slowly. "Our worlds don't belong together. But I also realize that the two of us don't belong apart."

I watched as he slid the ring onto my left hand. "Isabella Swan, will you marry me?"

I blinked a couple of times making sure that what Edward just asked was real. I looked down at the ring that weighed heavily against my finger and back up.

"Well?"

"Can I ask you a question?" Edward lifted his eyebrow just slightly. "Well we make it?"

I could tell that by the way he cocked his head that he had a hard time understanding my question. I bit down on my lip to before I spelled it out.

"You as a vampire and me as a human? How will that work? We will ever be able to you know…truly be equal?"

"Bella, I am having a hard time following you; I thought that this was something you wanted?"

I nodded my head. "Yes, but what happens one, two, three years down the road, while I grow older and you stay seventeen forever? Then about…"

"About what?"

"Love."

"I love you that will never change."

"I know that, but what about…" I could feel my cheeks begin to burn and I lowered my head so that my hair would cover my red cheeks. "Edward, I love you and I want to be with you in every way possible. Right now, we do not even really kiss. I'm not breakable."

Edward reached down and hooked a long cold finger over my chin and lifted up my face so that I would be forced to look into his eyes. "Yes, you are. I can't be with you in the way that you are asking, especially right now." He put his other hand on my belly and began to rub small circles. "If something ever happened to either of you, I don't know what kind of man I will be like afterwards."

I nodded, knowing that he was speaking the truth. "Edward, do you promise that once we are married and after the baby is born, that we will make love?"

Edward swallowed hard and closed his eyes. It appeared that he was having internal battle. "Bella…"

"Please, I want us to be like normal couples."

"But were not normal."

"I know that," I reached up and pressed my hand against his could hard cheek and he moved his head to take in my heat. I leaned closer to him. "Close your eyes and be still."

Edward looked at me for a half a second and then closed them shut. I leaned even closer until I was within an inch of his lips. I licked mine and then with my tongue I traced his. With my touch his eyes opened and he looked at me. He picked me up and laid me on the bed, his body hovering with all of his weight off of me above my belly. He lowered his mouth until our lips were barely touching.

"Kiss me," I whispered. "Kiss me like my life depended on it."

Edward moved a little closer to my mouth and very faintly I could feel his lips touching mine. My hands went on instinct to his hair to pull him closer. His tongue lingered on my lower lip as I breathed softly and opened my mouth. When our tongues touched inside my mouth an electrical current that could light up the city of New York flashed through me making my toes curl.

He lingered there for a few seconds before releasing my mouth and then moving to my neck kissing along my jaw line and finally stopping at the base of neck. Taking a in a large breath, smelling my scent.

"Marry me, Bella?" He whispered in my ear.

"Yes," I said as goose bumps ran up along my arms. "Yes."

Edward lifted my shirt so that my belly was exposed and very careful he left a trail of butterfly kisses along my stretched skin.

"I love you, baby," he whispered into my stomach and then placed his head gently on my bump.

Just listening.

When I woke up the next morning, Edward was still laying in bed with me. I rolled over so I could like at him and smiled.

"Am I dreaming?" I asked.

Edward lifted my left hand and even with the faint sun of the morning hours casting through the thick clouds, the diamonds on my finger sparkled. "If you mean me asking you to marry you, then no."

"And the kiss that made my toes curl?"

"You mean something like this," Edward said as he breathed in my face and lowered his lips on mine.

After a few moments of mingling, I could feel my eyes begin to roll.

"Breath, Bella."

I squirmed my way up the bed so that I could sit up. "So, before or after the baby comes?"

"For what?"

"The wedding. I don't want anything fancy, as far as I'm concerned we can just go down to the court house."

Edward shook his head. "Alice would never let you live it down."

I groaned at how quickly a small wedding to get out of hand. "I am putting my foot down now; I want small, just your family and Charlie that is all that matters. Oh, my God, Charlie, what is he going to say when I tell him?"

Edward smiled. "You don't need to worry about his reaction."

"And why not?"

"He already gave me his blessing."

My eyes went wide. "You asked my father if you could marry me."

Edward nodded. "It was the proper thing to do and all."

I picked up the pillow and went to throw at Edward, but he caught my wrist in time. "I think you need to get ready, we have a doctor's appointment to go to in a couple of hours and I can tell you that Alice will be waiting to see you this afternoon as well."

I nodded my head and went to stand up. I took a step and felt a gut wrenching pain shot from around my back, I gripped my stomach as the pain increased, but after a minute or so it stopped. Edward was already behind me holding onto me.

"Bella?"

I shook my head. "It's nothing. The doctor said I will probably be experiencing the hick up thingy's."

"You mean Braxton Hick's."

"Yeah, those," I said standing fully and went to get my towel and change of clothes. I opened the door to head across the hall when I remembered that he never answered my question. "So what is, before or after the baby?"

"Before," he said sitting down in the rocking chair. "It would only be proper to bring a baby into this world married. Now, go get ready."

I nodded my head and shut the door. While I was in the shower it dawned on me that he wanted us to get married before the baby came. I looked down at my ring as the water dripped from it, making it sparkle even more so. I couldn't help but smile. Sometime within the next month or so I will become Mrs. Edward Cullen.

"Good morning, Bella," Megan said when she walked into the room. "Edward."

Edward nodded and then took a seat next to the exam table.

"Bella, let's see how that baby's heart is beating," Megan lifted up my shirt and put a small amount of jelly on the paddle, after a few seconds of searching she eventually found a good solid heartbeat. Then she pulled out her tape measure. "About thirty two weeks. You are coming down to the wire."

I nodded. "I am starting to feel ready. I had some those Braxton Hicks contractions this morning."

"Really?" Megan said looking over her chart. "Let's go ahead and check your cervix then and see where the baby is resting."

She reached into a drawer and pulled out a paper sheet. "Why don't you take off your bottoms and I will be right back in."

When she left Edward stood up and helped me down. As I was taking my pants off and tried my hardest to cover all of me with the flimsy thing.

"Do you want me to leave?" Edward asked and I could hear the discomfort in his voice.

"You don't have to," I said as I pulled the curtain away. "We will be getting married soon and besides, you will be seeing me in all of my glory when I have my baby."

I waddled over to the table and managed to get back on while Edward was facing the wall. When I made sure that the drape covered me I told him that he could turn around.

"Okay, this will just take a moment," Megan said as I scooted my bottom closer to the end. "You will feel some pressure."

When Megan slid her fingers up inside my cervix and with her other hand pressing down on my belly trying to shift the baby down. "I can feel the head, which is good; she is getting in position and is beginning to drop just slightly. And I would say you are just about one centimeter."

When Megan pulled out and snapped off her gloves, she walked over to wash her hands. "I actually think that this baby might come a couple of weeks early, maybe by the first of the month."

I could hear Edward shifting. "Bella can't have the baby early."

Both Megan and I looked over to him. "Well, Edward, it is really not Bella's decision. The baby will come when it's ready."

Edward nodded. "I know, but we still have a lot to do."

I looked at Edward and could tell immediately that he was hiding something. When Megan left I got up from the table and changed as quickly as I could and then walked over to Edward taking hold of his hands.

"You're hiding something."

Edward looked down at me. "No, I just want to make sure everything will be okay. Come on, Alice is waiting for us."

I watched as Edward opened the door and when I passed through I tried to give him the best evil eye I could muster.

The ride was quiet over to the Cullens home. I immediately felt self conscious with the giant ring settled nicely on my finger. I kept moving and twisting it around. I knew that when Edward placed his hand on mine, that I was fidgeting.

"Bella, you're worried."

He stopped in the drive way and he moved quickly to open my door. When I took his hand and could look him in the eye I crossed my hands over my chest.

"You're hiding something that you don't want to tell me."

Edward rolled his eyes and held my hand to walk up to the front door. He opened it slowly, much to slow for him. I could feel his grip tighten on my hand just slightly.

I gulped when I saw Alice sitting on the floor rocking back and forth; much like a child would after they have seen the most devastating of events. She looked at me and then over to Edward, his eyes grew big and dark as I realized he was seeing something in Alice's head.

"Edward, what's wrong with Alice?" I whispered.

"He changed his mind," Alice said.

"Who?"

Alice looked at Edward who nodded just slightly and both Alice and Rosalie come flying at me, each taking an arm and carrying me up the stairs. After I was placed gently on the bed I felt like I was about to become unhinged.

"What in the world is going on?" I asked looking at the two of them. "Alice, what did you see?"

Alice's eyes glazed over as another vision came to her. She placed her hands over her ears and screamed an ungodly scream. I had to place my hands over my own ears to try and block some of it out. When I opened my eyes after the screaming stopped, the only person in the room was Edward.

I tilted my head and looked at him dead on. "You tell me what is going on and now!!"

"You have nothing to worry about," he said in an even tone.

"The hell I do."

He took in a deep breath. "Bella, we need to leave."

I looked at him and then down to my stomach. "Um, in case you have not noticed, I am going to be having a baby pretty soon. I am in no shape to travel."

Edward picked up my hand. "Just for a couple of days, let's elope."

_Elope??!_

"Edw…."I thought for a second. "Edward is that not a little fast and why right now, why not wait until next week or something."

Edward shook his head. "We can't."

"And why not?"

"Alice's vision has changed."

"Changed how?" Edward just shook his head.

"Changed how Edward?" I asked again a little louder this time.

There was a soft knock on the door and then Esme walked in. "Alice says its time."

My eyes dart back and forth between Edward and Esme, trying hard to find an answer from one of them.  But the million dollar question was: time for what?


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Edward's POV:**

I made the decision more out of haste than anything else when I nodded my head for Alice to take Bella upstairs. I needed her out of the room to sort through what just happened; along with filling my family in quickly.

"Edward, what was that?" Jasper asked walking closer to me as soon as his mate was out of sight. "What did Alice just see that sent her over the edge?"

I gulped not really wanting to relive the images personally. With my jaw clinched and venom ready to boil out I finally spoke. "Bella is being hunted; she is the prey to some sick bastard's game."

Emmett's hands slapped together like two boulders hitting hard against the earth. "We knew that Bella and the baby are being tracked, but what changed?"

"He wants the baby now. He thinks it's time or that it has been long enough," I looked over to Jasper gratefully as he was trying to get me to calm down using his gift.

I heard Esme gasp and bring her hands to her mouth. Carlisle reached over and pulled her closer. They have already welcomed Bella into the family as one of us, and the way that I saw it in their minds was the fear of losing not only a daughter, but their grandchild as well.

"When, son?" Carlisle asked eyeing each of us in his family.

I shook my head. "Not for sure, matter of days. There are three of them."

I looked over at Jasper, who had the most experience in how to handle troublesome vampires; I knew that I did not have to ask the question, he could feel my worry and desperation.

_Man, I don't know, we can for sure take on three without a problem, but your mind will not be in it, you will just be focused on protecting Bella._

I nodded my head in agreement. "We get Bella as far away as possi…"

I put my hand over my head as the screams from Alice came through my head. I crashed down on my knees feeling the fire ripe through my body. The vision was so real; it felt like it was happening to me all over again. But I knew that it was not real and that it was not my transformation. It was the transformation of some else. I tried hard to block the vision as I stood up and ran up the stairs. Jasper followed quickly behind and took Alice out of the room. I put a cold hand on Bella's hand to let her know that it was alright.

When she opened her eyes, they were wide and I saw not only surprise, but fear and worry.

"You tell me what is going on and now!!" Bella said I could hear the panic.

"You have nothing to worry about," I said trying to keep my voice calm.

"The hell I do."

I took in a very deep and heavy breath, "Bella, we need to leave."

"Um, in case you have not noticed, I am going to be having a baby pretty soon. I am in no shape to travel."

I knew that she was right; being as far along as she was it was going to make escaping hard, especially if I was trying to watch over my shoulder as well. My mind began to work in over drive trying to think of the best way to get her to come with me.

_Edward, I see you at a lake at sunset wearing black, the sign above the lodge says something about Tahoe. And I started to pack; we need to be out of her in five minutes. It doesn't look good if we stay any longer._

"Just for a couple of days, let's elope," I suggested taking what Alice just told me.

I saw Bella's eyes pop out of her head as she took in the final word. I knew that it was risky and very quick, but I would figure that part out later, right now I just needed to get her away from this house, from this town. With a scent as sweet as Bella's it would not take long for the tracker to track her right to my doorstep.

"Edw…."I could literally see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to get her thoughts together. "Edward is that not a little fast and why right now, why not wait until next week or something. Maybe after the baby comes."

I had to shake my head. "We can't."

"And why not?"

"Alice's vision has changed."

"Changed how?" Again I just shook my head, I didn't want her to have to worry but at the same time I knew that I really could not keep this from her. It just wouldn't be right.

"Changed how Edward?" I winced at how her voice raised a few octaves.

Before I could answer, Esme was opening the door; her thoughts were jumbled mostly with worry. I knew that she was just as protective as well toward Bella. "Alice says its time."

I nodded my head and stood up holding my hands out to Bella, pleading with my eyes to please trust me. Her eyes darted back and forth between the door in which Esme just closed and my outstretched hands. She placed her hands on her stomach and jutted out her chin.

"No."

I blinked a couple of times to make sure I heard her right. "I'm sorry."

She stood up clumsily being as top heavy as she was and tried to match my height by standing up on her toes. "I said no. I am not going anywhere until you give me a valid reason as to why I should leave."

"Bella, please, I promise you, I will tell you everything once we are on the road or the plane. Please, just trust me."

Bella stood there looking at me. "One reason that is all I am asking."

I knew that I could give her a hundred, but the big question was which one would not throw her over the edge. More than likely all of them would make her go hysterical. So I settled on the most favorable, at least to me.

"I love you and I don't want anything to happen to you," I took a step closer and put my hand on her bulging belly, I could hear the heartbeat and feel the movements, "or our baby."

"_Gushy, mushy," _Emmett cooed out and I had to really fight myself to suppress a growl.

Bella placed her hand on top of mine and smiled a smile that I have not seen. "That's it. That is your big reason to just drop everything and elope?"

"_Tell her the truth or I will,_" Alice growled in head.

"Bella," I said lifting her chin so she could look at me. "Something is wrong; you and the baby are in danger. I need to get you away from here so I can protect you."

I could tell that she was confused. "I don't understand, what's wrong with the baby? We just left the doctor, she said everything is okay."

I nodded. "Yes, everything is fine right now, but Bella…"

_Edward, everything is set, the cars are packed and reservations are made, Alice is already outside and she said that if you can't get her to understand in two minutes then we will need to drag her kicking and screaming. I have a sedative, if you think that will help._

"No, not yet," I said in a low tone that I knew Carlisle will be able to hear from the other side of the door and then turned my attention back to Bella. "Bella there is a group of vampires that have been following you and they want your baby."

There, I spit it out, now how much of that she understood was beyond me, but by the way she backed up and fell into the bed, I knew that she grasped the main points.

She kept shaking her head, "Vampires? No, not my baby."

I went to her, "Let's go."

"No, this was my choice to keep my baby, I made the right choice. Not my baby."

"Bella, breath," I said just as Carlisle walked in the room I knew that he had a needle with a sedative.

I put my arms around Bella, her body shaking so hard. "They're like you right?"

I closed my eyes as I tried to keep her still for Carlisle to quickly stick her in the arm. Within minutes she became weak as I listened to her heartbeat slow. I brushed back her hair and kissed the tears from her cheek. The whole time that I carried her downstairs and sat with her in the back of the car she kept mumbling the same words.

"Not my ba…by."

"Sleep now Bella," I kissed her again and rested my hand on top of her stomach rubbing small circles and humming her lullaby.

Alice and Jasper were in my Volvo following Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett in the Mercedes.

"How did this happen, Alice?" I asked trying to keep my voice low and even so I would not disturb the sleeping angel next to me.

She looked up into the rearview mirror. "You know that my visions are into set in stone. And you also need to remember there is a third party here that can make up its own mind that I cannot fully see yet."

I sighed. "Bella will not be able to handle it if she loses the baby," I said quietly.

"She won't," Alice said with so much confidence.

"But that is not what your vision was," I could taste the anger as it began to rise.

I saw Alice drop her eyes and I knew that I had her beat. I also knew that in the end one of them will not make it out alive. I also knew now, that I would end up needing to choose one life over the other. Just which life would I chose. Which one will be the right or the wrong. But more importantly – which life will I be able to go on living with, if I could not have both?

**Bella's POV:**

I could feel the motion of something; I just could not tell if it was a car or a plane. I rubbed my eyes as I sat up slowly and looked around and saw the close quarters of a private plane. I looked around slowly and saw that the entire Cullen family was toward the front talking quietly and quickly. I tried not to make much sound or movement as I tried to piece together the last thing I remember.

_Alice had a vision, she was screaming, Edward saying something about vampires and…._

"My baby!!" I screamed loudly as I looked around and seeing a pink blanket. "Where's my baby? Give me my baby back!"

I knew that I was more than likely beginning to flap like a fish out of water. Edward was at my side in seconds trying to hold me still without crushing any bones. Taking hold of my face I could see that he was talking, but the words were not making a sense. I saw his mouth move, but nothing was coming out of it. I kept trying to shake my head to clear it while at the same time watching his lips, trying to understand.

"My baby, where is my baby," I said this time trying to hit him to get him a way, but painfully found that to be a mistake.

"Bella, listen to me, shhh," Edward said pulling me closer to him. "Just take deep breaths and calm down. Your baby is fine. See…"

I looked down toward my stomach and lifted my shirt, sighing with relief as I saw the huge watermelon shape. "Is the baby okay?"

Edward nodded. "The baby is perfectly fine."

I collapsed against his stone chest. "The last thing I remember is you saying something about eloping and that there is a vampire that wants my baby. Not all vampires are good, are they?"

I could feel all the eyes of the Cullen's as Edward pulled me away from his chest. By the look in Edward's eyes, I could tell that he was about to share something that would be very difficult to hear. Not only was he shaking his head, but his hands were shaking just slightly.

I cocked my head and swallowed hard. "You're scaring me."

Edward smiled just slightly. "You should be scared. Bella, I need you to listen."

I nodded my head and pulled the pink blanket tighter against me, already getting chills down my spine, knowing that I was not going to like what I heard.

"The night of your rape, do you remember anyone following you home?"

I looked at Edward quickly before closing my eyes, trying to remember a night that I so wanted to forget about. After a couple of minutes I shook my head no.

"Bella, there was a vampire following you that night and just about every night thereafter. The red eyes that you told me about the other night," I nodded my head at remembering seeing red eyes. "Those eyes were vampire eyes."

I looked at his eyes and those of his family. "No, they were red, not gold like yours."

Edward agreed. "Our eyes are gold because of how we choose to satisfy our thirst. A vampire with red eyes, he chooses to drink from humans."

I sat quietly for a moment. "Then why has he not killed me?"

Edward looked down but I could still see his eyes directed toward where my hand was resting.

"No!!"

Alice came over to me and sat down. "Bella, at first I saw him trying to take the baby away after you have it, like a couple weeks later, but he has changed his mind, he wants the baby any day now. So either he is going to take the child by force, or your baby is going to be coming earlier than expected."

"But I am only thirty-two weeks or so, it's too early."

"That's why Edward decided that it was best to try and get you away and keep you safe," Carlisle said. "The longer we can keep the baby in you the better for the both of you."

"Getting married, eloping, that is the best way?" I asked Edward. "I wanted Charlie to walk me down the aisle."

I slapped my hand over my mouth. "Oh, my God, Charlie, what am I going to tell him, he's going to be worried that I did not come home?"

Alice smiled just slightly. "Well, actually, I already saw you agreeing with Edward and Charlie will be arriving to Lake Tahoe just a few moments after we do."

I chewed down on my lip. "I agreed to this."

Alice shrugged her shoulders. "Well, not in so many words."

"So what happens next?" I asked as we all sat silence. "A far as I understand, the plan is to get married, keep the baby inside of me for as long as possible, and try to keep a vampire from taking it, is that right?"

Everyone nodded in unison, but in the pit of my stomach something wasn't right. Alice's vision did not match up totally with the plan. I still had questions but I took the one that would change a decision, change my future.

"Can you kill him?"

"The killing part will be the easy part," Emmett said with a big grin on his face and I could not help but smile at how much he would enjoy himself.

"How? A stake through the heart or splashed with holy water?"

The entire plane seemed to shake at that moment with the laughter that came from the seven vampires that were in presence.

"Just a little bit more graphic then a scene from the _Lost Boys,"_ Jasper said. "Bella, those are myths and Hollywood hype."

I looked at him with curiosity. "Then how do you kill a vampire?"

Rosalie smirked. "You tear them apart limb by limb and throw them into a fire."

I knew my eyes were wide as I took in this new piece of information. "Oh, okay, then how does one become a vampire?"

This time I was given blank stares and I knew that no one wanted to tell me the truth. I also could see that Alice and Edward were communicating privately and I had the feeling that they were debating on telling me something.

"You're hiding something from me," I stated after a couple of minutes. "Edward, what are you hiding?"

Before Edward could open his mouth though the fasten seatbelt light came on and the Captain told us that we are just about to land. Edward reached around and put the seatbelt around me and pulled me close.

"Everything is going to be okay, Bella, I promise you," he whispered in my ear.

But deep down inside I couldn't help the nagging feeling that something very wrong was about to happen and that either myself or my baby will not make it out to the other side.

**A/N: you all are awesome with the reviews please keep them coming. Now a couple of things….NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) officially begins tomorrow (Novemeber 1****st****) night at Midnight. I am devoting the month of November to writing my novel for the contest. My updates here will be slim, but with all the updates that I have done over the past week or so, I think I satisfied some of your thirst for this story. I will be making updates, just not sure how often. To follow my writing through NaNo, please check out my webpage, I will be putting up blogs there. 50k or bust in 30 days, here I come!!**

**NaNoWriMo 2008 Novel: **_**Shadows of Darkness**_**: A Girls Struggle with HIV ~~ Seventeen year old Lrya Ashton thought she had it all: great friends, happy family and her health, but all of that changes one foggy night when her life spirals downward. Now she is facing darkness unlike before while trying to see who her real friends are. Will they run and give her a cold shoulder when they find out her dark secret, or will they welcome her with open arms. All Lrya has right now though is living in the **_**Shadows of Darkness.**_


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: You all should be honored you are getting an update even though it is on the short side. I have decided as a reward not only to myself but for being faithful readers that for every 5k I write for my NaNo Novel that I will give you all a chapter and since I wrote on Saturday the first day of NaNo over just shy of 6k here you go!! The only down side is that these chapters just might not be as long, but it will also slow the story down, which I know many of you have suggested or would like to see happen. **

**After giving this Kimberly128 to look over (check out her story by the way it is going to get good) she mentioned that it seems to very dark and depressing. Not sure if it is because of my NaNo story which is depressing or if it is because of me not feeling well, either way, this chapter works, because I think you are going to be seeing just a slightly different side to Bella.**

**Please check out my bio for links to the lodge that is mentioned I have also put up Bella's wedding dress and I made some changes to my webpage. As always enjoy and have fun reading!!**

**Chapter 13**

The plane landed without any problems and my soon to be vampire family moved about quickly to get all of our stuff off. I sat bewildered at how quickly things were progressing, but in my mind I mostly thought about what was happening. I mean _really_ happening. I knew that Edward was hiding something, or at least not telling me the entire truth. I could tell by the way he was avoiding some of my questions and the way that ever so quickly he would look away and then back again.

I looked out the window of the high peaks of the Rocky Mountain range with the pristine Lake Tahoe close to the airport. I could tell that this land was untouched as much as possible unlike the high traffic congested areas just miles away. No wonder so many people come here for a vacation or even get married, just the little bit I see from the tiny window brought on some sort of bliss.

Serenity.

My hairs on the back of my neck stood up on end with the sensation of someone watching me. I turn slowly and looked right into the butterscotch eyes of Edward. I try to see around his shoulder for the rest of his family, but they were nowhere to be seen.

"The girls are checking into the Lodge, while Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper are making a sweep around the area to make sure they do not pick up any visitors scent."

"And Charlie?" I asked.

"Alice says that his flight that she booked him will be here in thirty minutes."

I nodded and continued to look out the window with my hand idly resting along my stomach. I really did not know if I wanted to move from this spot. I felt safe here inside the plane. And if I stepped out of this safety net, my world will be drastically changed. Was I ready for this change? In many ways I did not have a choice. I already made the biggest decision in my life by keeping a child of rape but what about my next decision of asking Edward to marry me or for me accepting his proposal? Was I truly ready for that?

I smiled at spending all of my nights with him and watching my baby grow up under his eye. I knew without a doubt that he would protect us. I closed my eyes as I watched my life as it is currently unfold before me and a single tear drop ran down my eye as I saw my face grow older and older, appearing to look more like my grandmother in many ways. That's when I realized it, I will grow old with Edward and he will always be seventeen. I knew what I wanted; I made the next biggest decision in my life: to spend eternity with Edward.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Edward asked and I could hear the caution in his voice.

I shook my head slowly but I knew that my face gave me away as the tears began to pour down my face. How could I explain to him my fears? He more than likely would just laugh, thinking it was childish, after all this is what life is supposed to be.

A beginning and an end.

Alpha and Omega.

I was born into this world and I will die in this world.

Then there was my child, if there was even the possibility of me becoming a vampire like Edward and his family, what about her. Would I be able to stand by and watch her grow up and eventually die but at the same time could I have this be her life as well. No, it would need to be her choice.

"Edward can you answer me just one question please and you promise to tell me the truth?" I asked looking away from the crystal clear lake and into his eyes.

He nodded his head slowly. "What is it you want to know, Bella?"

"How does one become a vampire?"

I watched has his eyes grew darker in color and I knew that I touched on a touchy subject, but I needed to know.

"A vampire bite is deadly."

I knew he was being vague and I moved my brows together in understanding of his very few words. "If you bite me, I will be like you?"

"Bella," he said in a low voice. "It's a little more complicated than that."

I sat up straighter, taking my legs down from the seat in front of me. "Then make it uncomplicated."

"Not now," he said walking over to me. "I can hear Alice talking to your father."

My eyes darted back outside and I could see the small pixie along with Rosalie and Esme standing next to my father. "What's he thinking Edward?"

Edward grabbed hold of the bridge of his nose. "He's worried about you, but he sort of expected this. He knew that I wanted to marry you before the baby. He's just happy that we included him."

I took hold of Edward's hand as he helped me up. I walked slowly down the aisle and toward the exit stairs. Just before I let the warm moist air hit my face I turned to look at Edward again.

"Edward, if something happens to me and you need to choose between me and the baby, I want you to choose the baby," I smiled just slightly. "I can't help but think that it is a girl. Promise me that you will protect her if I am not around. Make sure that she will never have to face a decision like I had to. And promise me that you will tell her about me."

Edward's mouth turned down. "Bella, you make it sound like you are going to die. I will never let that happen."

I walked down the stairs with him close behind not even thinking of a comment to add to his statement, because in the back of my mind, I already saw my future, by the way that Alice screamed, my future did not end well at all.

When I finally made it over to Charlie he was all smiles. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer, reaching his other hand out toward Edward and shaking his hand.

"Alice here is the real charmer," he said looking at her with a smile. "Rosalie and Esme were just telling me about how the two of you thought it would be better to go ahead and get married before the baby came. Alice thinks that the little bundle will be making an appearance any day now."

"Oh, Charlie," Esme said putting a hand on his shoulder. "My Alice here has a very uncanny sense about predictions. I have yet to bet against her on such important issues."

Charlie nodded and looked down at me. "Well, if I do say so, it does look like you have gotten a little rounder there and a little low."

I leaned in closer to him and just smiled, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Well, should we go to our rooms?" Alice asked. "I have a suite for you and Bella, sir, I hope that you don't mind, I figured you would want to have as much father-daughter bonding as possible."

Charlie took hold of my hand as we followed Alice into the Tahoe Lodge. My father let out a low whistle as he took in all the deer and moose heads that were hanging on the walls, not to mention the huge largemouth bass over the elevator.

"I wonder if I can get a fishing trip in while I am here," Charlie whispered into my ear.

"Actually," Esme said speaking up. "I do believe my husband is in the middle of making a reservation as we speak, is that correct Alice?"

Alice just smiled and nodded her head as the elevator doors opened and we all climbed in. "Yes, it is sort of like a bachelor party in a sense. Just a way for you to get to know Edward's side of the family a little better."

I looked at all of the vampires in the elevator and then over to Edward who looked to be stifling a grin. For some reason I could not help but wonder if everything has been planned, that Alice has already seen this. Boy, how strange to be in a constant state of déjà vu.

"Oh," Rosalie spoke up just as the elevator came to a halt. "We have something planned for you as well, Bella, tomorrow before your big night."

My eyes felt like they were growing wider by the second. "Don't worry Bella," Alice said behind me as we walked down the hall. "It's nothing big just a little spa day."

Eventually we came to our rooms; the entire floor was actually our hall. Every room was booked under the Cullen name.

When we stopped in front of my room that I was to be sharing with Charlie I turned and looked at all of them. I just wanted to be alone. "Um, if you all don't mind, I am really tired. It's late and all and I had a really long day do you mind if I just go to sleep?" I asked looking at each of them.

"No problem," Charlie said. "I was actually thinking of going down and having a bite to eat and a drink."

I looked at Edward who was looking at Alice; I knew that she was probably trying to see if there was any danger of me being by myself while I slept. I also knew that the chances of me being totally by myself were slim. Edward would just sneak in as soon as Charlie went to sleep.

Edward came over to me and gave me a kiss on the top of my head. "Sleep well love," he took a step back from me and looked at Charlie. "Sir if you don't mind, I think I will join you. I am not hungry, but some company might be nice."

"Everyone else is already downstairs at the bar watching the baseball game," Alice chimed in.

I almost felt relief at the mentioning of the game, I knew that would keep Charlie occupied for a couple of hours. Once Edward and Charlie were on the elevator and safely out of site, Alice slid the room key into the door and opened up the suite in which I will be spending my last night as a single woman. I gasped when I took in the dark colors mixed with white carpet. It was beautiful with a rustic charm.

I walked in and then opened the door on my right, relieved to find that it was a bedroom and the giant king size bed looked very inviting.

"Bella," Esme said standing behind me. "Is there anything you would like to talk about? I know how hard, strange and fast that all of this must be for you."

"No, Esme, thank you though, I am just really tired at the moment, but you are right it is fast," I went to sit down on the bed my eyes already growing so heavy.

Alice, Rosalie and Esme just stood by the door as if unsure as to what they should be doing next.

"Well," Esme said after a minute walking over to me and sat down next to me. "Why don't you get some sleep, you have a very big day ahead of you."

Alice and Rosalie helped me out of my clothes and into my night gown and I climbed in to the feather down bed ready to escape this day and dream about my life ahead of me. I closed my eyes and tried to steady my breathing and heart rate to what I thought would make it seem like I was a sleep. When I heard the door shut softly a few minutes later I climbed out of bed and kneeled onto the floor.

I was never a religious girl by no means but something told me that I needed to do this.

"Now, I lay me down to sleep," I started the only prayer that I remember growing up as a child.  
_I pray the Lord my soul to keep;_  
_When in the morning light I wake,_  
_Teach me the path of love to take._

_Now I lay me down to sleep,_  
_I pray the Lord my soul to keep;_  
_Guard me Jesus through the night,_  
_And wake me with the morning light._

_Now I lay me down to sleep,_  
_I pray the Lord my soul to keep,_  
_thy angels watch me through the night,_  
_And keep me safe till morning's light._

_Now I lay me down to sleep,_  
_I pray the Lord my soul to keep,_  
_May angels watch me through the night,_  
_And keep me in their blessed sight._

_Now I lay me down to sleep,_  
_I pray thee, Lord, my soul to keep;_  
_See me safely through the night,_  
_And wake me with the morning's light._

_Now I lay me down to sleep,  
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,  
Guide me through the starry night,  
Wake me when the sun shines bright,  
For Jesus' sake. Amen."_

I was very pleased when I climbed back into the bed and pulled the covers up to my head, my eyes already closing. And I went to sleep with dreams of me and Edward on our wedding day. It was while we were dancing along Lake Tahoe water's edge that I saw the little red beady eyes staring at me.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Edward's POV:**

_Bella will be fine, Edward, just give her some time to process everything, I don't see anything happening._

I nodded my head just slightly so that Alice knew that I heard her. I did not want to be apart from Bella, especially with so many dangers just around the corner. But I knew that Alice was right, Bella is going through so much right now. Her having a few moments alone is probably the best thing for her and she does need her rest it has been a very long day and the next few will just make it seem longer.

I closed the gap between my angel and gave her a kiss on the top of her head inhaling her sweet scent. "Sleep well love," I said taking a step back and turning to give Charlie my complete attention. "Sir if you don't mind, I think I will join you. I'm not hungry, but some company might be nice."

"Everyone else is already downstairs at the bar watching the baseball game," Alice chimed in.

_Oh, good I was wondering who was winning the game._

The elevator moved slowly down to the main floor where the Lodge's Bar and restaurant were.

Just as the elevators doors were beginning to open I was shocked to see Charlie hit the button to close the doors and holding his finger there. I looked at him and tried to read his thoughts but they were so jumbled and unorganized.

"I just want to make a few things clear," Charlie said his eyes looking directly at me. "I can see that Bella is having a hard time with this shotgun wedding. So if you so much as hurt her or her child in anyway, I swear to God, I will hunt you down."

I tried to hide my smile at the thought of him trying to find me and killing me, or lack thereof. "Sir, you don't need to worry about me, I have Bella's best interests at heart. And believe me this is far from a shotgun wedding. Alice has been planning for this day for a while."

Charlie looked at me and I could see his mind doing some mental calculations. "You just asked my daughter to marry you not even forty-eight hours ago, how can Alice be planning for this?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Like my mother told you when you first arrived. My sister has a very uncanny sense; she insists that she saw me finding someone to love and that we would be getting married quickly. So I am guessing while she waited, she planned."

Charlie mused over my explanation and then nodded his head. "There does seem to be something very special about Alice, she seems to care a great deal for Bella, I was so worried when she moved here and not finding any friends. I am thankful that she found more than just friends, she found an entire family."

"My family is very close and my parents have already accepted Bella as one of their own. I think Esme is more excited to see Bella's baby more than anyone else."

Charlie let his finger go and the doors opened up into the crowded lobby. "I can't help but feel or think that my daughter will be changing soon."

"Well, she is going to be a mother that changes a woman drastically."

I heard Charlie let out a _hump, she's no woman she's my daughter, my baby girl. _

I had to agree with him on his thoughts and the fact that Bella will be changing in more ways than just having a child. That is if I can help it, making sure that Alice's vision does not come true.

"Well, if it's not the father of the bride," Emmett said loudly when Charlie and I entered the bar. "Chief Swan come on over and pull up a seat. Name your poison."

I eyed Emmett. _Oh hold onto your shirt, Eddie, we need to make feel like he is part of the family._

"I will a draft," Charlie said to the bartender who was in the process of filling up another glass for Emmett.

I sat down next to Carlisle and Charlie. All of us in our family held a glass with some sort of liquid playing the human role while Charlie enjoyed his beer. For the next three hours we talked and watched the Seattle Mariners get their butts creamed by the LA Angels. It was not the most exciting game in history that was for sure.

Emmett was the loudest out of the bunch of guys that were sitting around the big screen watching the game. He began to throw out bets on who would win and Jasper going against him. A couple of times Charlie put a few bucks in the pot, always going against Emmett and siding with Jasper, who in the end won.

I just rolled my eyes, chances were Alice already told him who would be winning the game.

"So," Carlisle said looking over to Charlie. "I booked for all of us to go fishing first thing in the morning. The wedding is scheduled for seven just as the sun is setting. I did hear that it is to be pretty overcast tomorrow with a small chance of rain, hope you don't mind fishing in the rain."

_Please, it does nothing but rain back home. "_That sounds like a great idea. I would love to fish in some other lake than all the same old places back home. And besides I think I am used to getting a little wet, where would the fun be if that was not the case?"

I reached into my pocket to pull out my phone that was vibrating and looked at the caller ID. "Hello, Alice," I said in a smooth voice. "I am surprised that you are not sleeping yet."

My father nodded his head and I could see that Charlie tuned in as well.

"Edward, Bella's missing," Alice said quickly and at her words it took everything to not smash my phone into dust.

_Edward what's going on?_ Carlisle said and I could see both Jasper and Emmett stiffen as well.

"Alice, what do you mean?" I asked trying my hardest to keep my voice calm when all I wanted to do was run out of this bar and forget about who saw me.

"We helped Bella into bed, I could hear her say a pray, I had a vision of her sleeping and then she was gone. I went into her room and she's not there. Rosalie and Esme are already out searching the grounds, but Edward we can't find her scent."

"We're on our way up," I said slamming the phone shut and leaned over to Emmett and Jasper in a low tone that Charlie would not hear. "Bella is missing, go and see if you can find her, Esme and Rosalie can't find her scent."

Emmett and Jasper stood up casually nodding their heads to Charlie and bidding him a good night.

"Charlie, how about we get you settled into your room," Carlisle said as he slapped down a hundred dollar bill on the bar top. "We have a busy day ahead of us. After all the early bird catches the worm."

Charlie stood up and stretched out his arms and letting out a huge yawn, "Yeah, your right about the early birds and I am pretty bushed."

The three of us took the elevators back up to the top floor in which the entire family was staying. My hands were shaking as I tried to keep my temper calm and it took everything in me to not run out of the elevator at my full speed to break down the door to Bella and Charlie's room.

When the doors eventually opened, Alice was standing there waiting for us her arms crossed over her chest tapping her foot. I sniffed the air just slightly and realized that Alice was right; there was no scent of Bella or anyone else for that matter. She immediately bounced over to Charlie and took hold of his arm.

"Come, Charlie, let's get you settled," _Still no sign of Bella and I have a bad feeling Edward._

I let out a small growl as I tried to pick her brain at what happened and her last few visions, but she was right, one moment Bella was sleeping in the bed, the next she was gone. When the door closed to Bella and Charlie's room Carlisle turned to me waiting patiently for me to explain.

"Bella has gone missing and Alice can't see her," I said quickly as I went quietly into her room to try and trace a scent, Carlisle behind me.

"Maybe the baby is busy making its own decisions that it is blocking Alice's to see Bella, after all they are two separate beings."

"If that is the case, then where is Bella's scent?" I inhaled deeply and the only thing I got was her smell on the bed and the floor as it wandered through the room toward the bathroom and then it was gone. "Whatever took her it happened here in the bathroom because that is where her scent disappears."

My head snapped up as I heard Alice's vision play through my head.

Bella in the woods with Emmett and Jasper.

Just as Alice was coming out of her vision my phone begins to ring.

"You found her," I stated into the phone just as I flipped it open.

"Yeah," Emmett said in a soft voice. "We found here, just off the north shore of the lake in a clearing. I don't know what happened man but she does not want any of us to go near her. Jasper is using all of his strength to get her to calm down. Any longer he is going to need go hunt."

I was already jumping out the window with Alice and Carlisle right behind me. Just as we were getting ready to turn north to cut across the lake Esme caught up with us.

"Esme, go keep an eye on Charlie," Carlisle said to her slowing down his pace for just a half of a second.  
Esme nodded and continued to run back toward the lodge.

I knew we were getting close, Bella's scent became strong and Emmett and Jasper's thoughts were running wild in my head. I came to a halt just to sniff out the air to find which direction they moved. I turned right and flew by some small trees that appeared to be newly planted and came to a sudden stop when I saw Bella laying on the forest floor curled on her side holding her belly. I went to take a step when Alice and Carlisle both reached a hand over to stop me.

"Wait," Alice hissed and nodded her head toward the far end of the forest. My eyes focused on eyes off in the distant, deep bark brown eyes. A low growl escaped my throat.

_Ah, man is that what I think it is? _ Jasper thought. _I did not know they truly existed anymore._

_Hot damn, who let the dawgs out! _Emmett screamed in my head and I knew that it would be a matter of moments until he…

Emmett stood up and began to jump up and down his one arm waving over his head.

_Oh, God he is going to get us killed. _Carlisle thought.

Who let the dogs out {woof, woof, woof, woof}  
Who let the dogs out {woof, woof, woof, woof}

Emmett began to sing, the wolves began to cock their heads to the side looking at him and that is when I focused on their thoughts. They were crossed between amused and angry. One stepped out of the shadows, his black eyes looking right at me as the fur on the back of his neck stood up on end.

"You are off of your land," I said.

_We picked up a strange scent and followed it to this meadow. We found the girl._

"Who are you?"

"_Jacob Black what are you doing here with Bella Swan?"_

"That is none of your concern, if you don't mind," I began to side step the dog and cross over to the field where Bella was still laying on the floor and swopped her up in my arms. "If you want something to hunt, go find the three visitors that have been after Bella since before she was pregnant."

"_Do I need to remind you of the rules?"_

"I know the rules, Jacob Black and I can promise you nothing has or will be against the treaty," with that being my final word I turned on my heels and went back to the lodge. My family following close behind.

I knew with the wolves out of their land things just got a lot more interesting. The question is: why did Alice not see them coming?

"I never thought…" Alice said more to herself I think.

"Edward as soon I get Bella checked out we need to figure out what exactly is going on here," Carlisle said as we slowed our stride and entered the hotel lobby. Thankfully it was late and not many people around.

I just nodded my head. Bella is my number one priority.

**Bella's POV:**

I knew that I was asleep or at least it felt like I was asleep. The whispers that were coming from all directions around me were very faint. I opened my eyes to the weak light that was by my bed and was met by the beautiful copper eyes of Edward.

"You had me scared," Edward whispered.

I crossed my eyes in confusion not sure what had happened. "What do you mean? I've been asleep since you left with Charlie."

Edward looked over my bed and I followed his gaze. "Alice lost sight of you."

"What? When?" I asked trying to sit up in bed.

Alice came over and sat down next to me and brushed my hair back. "You don't remember anything?"

I chewed on my bottom lip. "I remember going to sleep and having a dream, then I woke up to go to the bathroom. Why?"

"Bella," Edward started. "We found you outside on the other side of the Lake."

I cocked my head to the side trying to remember ever going outside and shook my head. "No…"

Edward just nodded his head. "Can you all give me a moment alone with Bella?"

Carlisle and Alice left the room and then it was just me and Edward. I could not help but feel strange, something was off.

"You don't really remember, do you?" He asked a couple of minutes after the door closed.

I didn't answer.

"Bella, will you tell me the truth?"

"Truth about what?"

"Are you happy with this, getting married and all in a few hours?"

"Yes," I crocked out and I knew that my voice betrayed me. I quickly cleared it. "Yes, I want to marry you, but I just don't understand why it has to be so fast. Why we can't wait a few more months."

Edward shook his head sadly. "It is the only way that I can fully keep my eye on you, to protect you. With you living at Charlie's I will need to make up every excuse in the book for why I am always there and Alice tried to play it out if you asked Charlie to move in with us. He had a fit."

"So, this is all to protect me? And nothing to do with love?"

Edward gasped and reached for my hand. "I love you more than I thought I could ever love any other being. If something were to happen to you I don't think I could go on living myself."

"You have to."

Edward bowed his head shaking it. "I don't think I could Bella."

"But for the baby, you will need to."

Edward leaned in closer to me and gave me a kiss on each of my eyelids and then finally fully on my lips. So much passion and heat in that one kiss. When he pulled away it felt like my heart was about to break. "Marry me tomorrow Bella, I don't want to spend another second away from you."

_Dang it he's dazzling me again_. "I love you."

Edward lay back onto the pillows and pulled me down so that I was on top of his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around me. I let out a contented sigh and my eyes opened wide as I remembered what happened when I went to the bathroom.

"Dean."

"Excuse me?" Edward asked.

"Dean was here, my best friends boyfriend, the guy who," I swallowed hard. "Raped me, but he was different, his eyes."

I felt Edward stiffen under me and saw him reach into his pocket to pull out his phone.

"Alice, I think I just figured out who the red eyes belong to," Edward said into his phone.

**A/N: Thank you all for the awesome reviews....I bet you did not see that one come at the end?!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 **

**Third Person**

For three days they wait and sat.

Three days of watching him go to Hell and back.

Three days of listening to his screams, begging for mercy.

Three days in which the one person that could do a better job at tracking Bella to come to his senses and make himself useful to James and his tiny coven of three.

Three days.

That was a while ago and now James had the full use of Dean and his uncanny sense to find Bella, the one girl that James wanted most in the world, but not because of her blood, or that he was thirsty but because of the baby that was inside of her.

Growing.

Victoria has been wanting a play toy something different, one of a kind. So when James spotted Bella from his ally hiding spot after feeding back on that Halloween night he knew that Bella was different and then found out how different she truly was a couple of months later when he heard the heartbeat of the other human growing inside of her. He and Victoria both heard it before Bella herself even knew she was pregnant.

Together the two of them along with Laurent followed Bella's every move wanting nothing but the one thing that none of them will ever have the privilege of having.

They sat and they watched.

That is until they lost Bella and James decided it was time to resort to more drastic and higher measures to get what his mate wanted so badly.

There was one other person that he watched that same night. He was nothing more than a teenage boy with raging hormones that carried the sweet scent of Bella on him. A scent that Bella later began to cast off of her as well.

And it was then that James knew what he needed to do, the only way to truly find and track Bella even better and to get the prize that will be waiting for him to take in just a few short months.

"How much longer until we make a move?" Victoria hissed into James ear. "I want my toy and I am getting very impatient."

James just held up one finger to calm his mate and closed his eyes to focus as a smile began to emerge on his lips.

"Not much longer love and you will be getting your precious toy."

Victoria's lips curled upward into a smile pleased with James efforts.

"And Dean, did he find her?"

Laurent, Victoria, James and Dean have been scoring the Forks area for days looking for Bella's scent. With the crossing of other vampires in the area James could not help but wonder if Bella has taken a liking to them. If they could even be protecting her, which would explain their hasty retreat. But with Dean's undeniable connection to Bella he tracked her down much better and quicker than James would have or could have hoped for.

"Let's go," James said leading in the direction if the airport. "I believe we are going on a trip."

For nearly six months after Dean's transformation James has been working with him to have better self control more so that Dean will be able to stay focused. James knew that it will be risky for him to be on airplane full of humans so instead James and Dean decided to run from Forks down to Lake Tahoe while Victoria and Laurent will meet them by plane a few hours later.

From the outskirts of the Lodge is where they will sit and wait. With Dean's red eyes keeping a very close watch on Victoria's precious baby.

Three days is all they needed.

But after Dean's close encounter with the wolves, three days might just be too long to wait. James may need to speed things up just tad. Maybe force his hand….

**A/N: Okay, I know that this chapter was short and sweet as well as to the point, but I figured after some of your reviews that I give you more detail on where and how Dean came into play….**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**Edward's POV**

_Edward get out of that room, it is the day of the wedding and you are not allowed to see the bride_, I pinched the bridge of my nose at Alice's voice coming through my head. I quietly freed my arm from around Bella's head, kissing her lightly before exiting the room and going across the hall where the rest of my family was waiting.

The night has been long even though it was just a few hours after midnight, the day will be even longer as I will not be able to see Bella until the Twilight hour. The family has been keeping watches outside for our visitors and Alice's visions have been changing constantly. The only thing that has been staying somewhat true was something was going to happen tonight, late in the night.

Jasper and Emmett were just getting back inside about the same time as I when Alice settled onto the floor working back and forth, holding her head as if she were in pain, a sight and image that I have seen just a couple of days ago before the is escaped to get married started.

I cocked my head to try to get into hers but nothing.

Jasper went over to his mate and put a hand on her shoulder. "Alice, what do you see?" Jasper shot his eyes up to me.

I shook my head.

"Nothing," Alice said quietly. "I can't see anything."

"What do you mean, you can't see?" Carlisle asked walking over to his daughter to take a look into her eyes.

"I mean I can see fine, but my vision, I was having a vision and then it all went black and then came back to go black again. Something or someone is blocking my visions."

"Party crashers?" Emmett asked.

"No, I have seen them already and from what I can tell none of them have a gift like that."

"What about the newborn that took Bella last night," Jasper asked.

Alice closed her eyes focusing on the newest piece of information about Bella's visitor, now that we had a name and knew his scent; Alice has been able to focus more on his plan, as choppy as that plan seemed to be. "No, if he does he is unaware of it."

"The only other beings in the area that have not been factored in are the wolves," Jasper said helping Alice stand up. "Could they be blocking Alice's visions?"

Carlisle began to pace the room. "I don't know much about the pact; personally I thought that the gene has run its course. Alice did you see Bella in the wolves before we found her last night?"

Alice closed her eyes to think and replay all of her visions and then opened them up quickly. "No, actually I was not able to see any of you until you made the decision to start back home. I think Jasper is right about me not having clear visions because of the wolves."

"Then chances are, and I am going on a theory here, that your visions are not clear because the wolves will be there as well."

For the next few hours until the wee bits of sun began to break behind the trees outside our room the family strategized. At no time were Charlie nor Bella allowed out of any of our sights.

"Well, that'll be easy enough," Alice said beginning to walk toward the door. "Between, Rosalie, Esme and I, we have a full day booked for Bella at the Spa, she will be getting the royal treatment."

I growled just slightly before Esme came up to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Edward, I will make sure to keep Alice on a tight leash and I will have Bella rest up as well."

Emmett disappeared from the room and back before any of even realized or paid attention to his absent holding a few fishing poles, wearing a pair of brown water pants and thick heavy boots. "And we will be taking Charlie fishing this morning."

"For what, trout?" Rosalie asked following her sister and mother out the door. "You look adorable, almost enough to eat."

"I will hold you to it, Rosie," Emmett said as the door closed and his eyes still focused on the backside of Rose.

"Please, Emmett, for the love of God, keep your thoughts to yourself," I walked over to Emmett and picked up a pole. "You all do realize that we would more than likely catch more fish with our hands instead of a flimsy piece of wood."

Carlisle sighed heavily, "Only for a couple for a couple of hours, boys."

"Mmm," Emmett pondered as he let the pole slide through his fingers. "I wonder if fish blood tastes fishy."

I groaned as I walked toward the door. "I am going hunting now before we take Charlie out on his fishing trip. Any of you want to come."

Jasper and Carlisle followed behind me. I looked back at Emmett. "Nah, man, I am going to save my appetite for some fish."

"Then I hope you feel like waiting a long time because you are going to need to catch a lot of fish to finally feel satisfied," I told him.

Emmett's became huge at the idea. "Like how much fish? Two or three?"

"Sure, Emmett," Jasper chimed in. "Two of three hundred."

With that Jasper, Carlisle and I ran out of the hotel leaving Emmett to think about his predicament. Within seconds he was outside and in the field that we found Bella in last night. "I think I will partake in some deer this morning and maybe some fish later."

"Why, Emmett, what a big words you used," Jasper joked.

**Bella's POV:**

I have been poked, I have been prodded and I have been made up to a life size version of Bride Barbie. I let out a heavy breath, my chest hurting at such an intake of air that it almost brought tears to my eyes. Just in the last three or four days my little baby inside of me who has been kicking and nudging up a storm decided to take a rather large growth spurt. Instead of me know moving at a fast waddle I am now moving at a very slow, snail pace waddle. There were even times during the day that Alice and Rosalie seemed to be getting impatient and just picked me up and carried me to where they wanted me.

But now as the day began to end and I could see the faint hint of orange and red be painted across the sky I knew that it was worth it. Or it will be worth it in the end. I will be married to Edward, my very own Prince Charming. There was just one question though that was still left unanswered and a question that Edward has been refusing to answer during the last forty-eight hours of hiatus on the run marriage that we were doing.

"Why now?"

"Hmm, I'm sorry, Bella did you say something?" Esme asked from behind my hair which sat high on my head with a few baby daisies and trundles of curls.

"Did I? I was thinking out loud I guess."

Esme moved over to sit down next to me. "Is there anything you would like to talk about?"

I bit down on my perfectly high glossed lips that tasted like strawberries thinking about what it was that I really wanted to talk about and how much of it Edward would hear or read for that matter. "I just don't understand why we need to get married so soon. Why did Edward not want to wait a couple of weeks or until after the baby comes?"

Esme nodded her head slowly while Rosalie and Alice came back into the room carrying more wedding looking stuff. "I can understand your feelings and how it must feel very rushed. Edward is just trying to protect you and the little one that lives inside of you. He has chosen you to be his in more ways than you can think is possible."

"His?" I asked. "I am like some kind of thing you buy at the store?"

"No," Rosalie said quietly. "It's deeper than that, much deeper. Our kind loves our mates in a way that humans could never fully love. Emmett, Jasper and Carlisle are soul mates in a sense. If something were to happen to our mate, we would feel it as if it were happening to us."

"But Edward and I aren't…"

"Actually you are, you may not know it yet, but Edward does," Esme said taking my hand. "Edward has waited for you. He has been searching for something that he did not even know existed until he found you."

"But there is more to why now, Bella," Alice chimed in quietly. "You are already someone else's mate without even realizing it."

"What? Who?"

"Dean, the rape, he basically marked his territory in even sense of the word and now that he is a vampire he is just trying to get back what is rightfully his. And without Edward being married to you, Dean can just take you. You, Bella, not the baby."

I tried to process this new bit of information knowing that it made sense in some strange and twisted way. "So, Edward and I get married, Dean leaves me alone?"

"No," all three of my soon to be vampire women said at once.

"Dean will never leave you alone not until he is rightfully taken care of," Alice continued as her eyes began to glaze over and she looked off into the distant. "It's time."

Alice moved quickly to put the finishing touches on my dress which flowed with the natural shape of my belly. The low neck line had my watermelon breasts practically jumping out at anyone who walked near me. The material was a soft white silk and reminded me of a Greek Goddess.

I waddled behind the girls to the elevator and then the doors opened up Charlie was standing inside wearing a pristine black tux and a white tie. His breath hitched in his throat. "Bella."

Charlie and I rode down the elevator together in silence, there were really no need for words to convey what we already knew and felt. When the doors opened up at the bottom of the lobby a row of fresh white rose petals lined the path that we were to follow. Charlie more than likely saw it as the path to my doom; I saw it as a path to my future.

_She'll change her name today.  
She'll make a promise, and I'll give her away.  
Standing in the bride room just staring at her.  
She asked me what I'm thinking, and I said, "I'm not sure,  
I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl."  
Then she leaned over... and gave me..._

Butterfly kisses, with her mama there.  
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair.  
"Walk me down the aisle daddy, it's just about time."  
"Does my wedding gown look pretty daddy?" "Daddy don't cry."  
With all that I've done wrong, I must have done something right.  
To deserve a hug every morning, and butterfly kisses.  
I couldn't ask God for more, man, this is what love is.  
I know I've gotta let her go, but I'll always remember.  
Every hug in the morning, and butterfly kisses...

The moment that the reverend said you can kiss the bride I finally felt like I had a fairy tale wedding that I never thought possible. But it is in the calm of the storm that trouble will quickly brew.

And it is in that storm that I will truly learn what it means to die for the ones that I love.

**A/N: I know, I know, you all might have thought I dropped off the face of the earth. Well, NaNoWriMo is officially completed and I won the word count, but far from completing the story, which I am still working on faithfully, but figured I also needed to give all of you some love as well. Please check out my bio and webpage for more in depth details about NaNo and to read the first chapter of **_**Shadows of Darkness**_**.**

**I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter, remembering to R&R!! The song mentioned is "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Bella's POV:

My life I can say is not mundane nor has it ever been. For someone like me who is accident prone and danger magnet it is no wonder that I made it this far. And when I mean this far, I mean seeing the day in which I get married, let alone having a child.

When Charlie led me off the elevator and onto the pathway of white rose petals I did not see anything else but the person standing at the end. Edward, my own Prince Charming. Granted, he is far from the average Prince Charming's that you read about in fairy tales, my life isn't a fairy tale though. My life sometimes does not even fit into the real world.

Unless the real world knows that supernatural, mythical creatures exist, which I am pretty sure no one else really knows this like I do.

I smile when I see Edward standing in a black tail tuxedo with a gold neck tie that matches perfectly to his golden eyes. Just like my eyes were only on him, his saw nothing but me.

"You sure you want to do this?" Charlie asked me quietly in my ear.

I could see Edward trying to not fight a smile since I knew that not only him but his family could hear exactly what Charlie asked.

"More than anything," I whispered back.

Charlie took hold of my hand and placed it into Edward's waiting grasp. "You have better take care of her like she is your own life and that precious baby."

Edward nodded his face a mask of serious stone. "You have my promise, sir."

Edward and I turned to face the minister who quickly led us into your average wedding vows, nothing fancy. I could not help but feel that we were working against a clock. I glanced nervously over to Alice a couple of times, her eyes seeming to be focusing on the other problems at hand and not the wedding. Edward trying to remain calm but his stature changed a few times as well, mainly after Alice's eyes returned back to their gold color.

"You may kiss the bride," the minister said.

Edward turned and lifted the small piece of delicate lace, his lips grazing across mine. On instinct I wanted to deepen the kiss, something that we have only done a few times before. Edward pried my hands out his messy bronze hair and took hold of my hands.

"We will need to move quickly," he whispered into my ear.

I looked over at him and then over to Charlie who was making his way to me. "And Charlie?"

"Alice already has his bags packed and he will be getting on the plane in an hour. Esme already told him that you and I are going on a small honeymoon."

"My baby girl is not a baby anymore," Charlie said giving me a hug. "And any day now it looks like you will be having a baby of your own."

I gave Charlie a hug not wanting to truly let go because somewhere in body I could sense that this wil be the last hug or at least for a very long time.

"It's time," Alice said.

Charlie turned and looked at my new pixie sister in-law. "Yes, I suppose you are right, Alice. Have fun on your honeymoon and I look forward to seeing you in two weeks."

After another quick hug from me and a hand shake that came with a promise from Edward, Alice walked Charlie to the car that will take him to the airport. Once the two of them were out of ear shot I looked at my husband.

Wow, husband! That will take some time getting used to, much I suppose the word mother will.

"Time for what, Edward?" I asked.

"Time for us to leave here, we need to get back to Forks."

"Why? I though the whole idea of leaving Forks was to lead the bad vampires away from me."

"It's not working and we had more unexpected visitors follow us here," Edward took hold of my hand and guided me to the elevator. Esme and Rosalie will help you get ready to travel back home. I am going to talk to Jasper, Emmett and Carlisle. Everything will be okay, Bella, just trust my family to take care of you."

I looked into his eyes which were dazzling me, so there was no way I could deny him what he was asking. "I do."

Esme and Rosalie followed me to my room and helped me out of my dress. I took the clothes from the bed that Alice had laid out for me earlier and went to the bathroom to get cleaned up. I closed the door behind me when the hair on the back of my neck stood up on end. The feeling of not being alone crept through every bone in my body.

I turned the light on and a hand went over my mouth squeezing hard to prevent any noise from escaping.

"Bella," a voice that I recognized but it sounded off. "I have been waiting for you."

He let his finger slide down the front of my stomach, my baby kicking on impulse to the slow touch. He turned me around my eyes growing big at the face I saw, the red eyes.

"You have something that belongs to me and I have come to collect," Dean said quietly in my ear as his nose grazed along my neck. "MMM, you smell absolutely divine."

I could feel something leaking down my legs and I knew that I did not need to go to the bathroom. Fear began to make my heart beat faster I realized that my water might have broke. Tears began to fall from my eyes knowing that not only could Dean kill me now, he would also kill my baby.

I tried to scream but it was so muffled not even sure if Rosalie or Esme would hear it. I know they said they were going to get changed as well and they would be back in fifteen minutes or so. Dean lowered to his knee and pressed his ear against my stomach listening to the heartbeat of my unborn.

"Such a strong one you have," he said. "Victoria will be pleased."

He stood back up and then picked up my clothes that I dropped to the floor. Somehow he managed to put my clothes on me with one hand never letting go of my mouth. Once I was fully clothed he opened the door and together we walked out. Pain and pressure in my lower half immediately set in with the movement. I fell forward holding onto my stomach in pain. Knowing that the baby was going to come and soon.

Dean snarled at my movement. "I guess there is going to be a change of plans first."

He picked me up and put me on the bed. He looked at me for a moment and the lowered his mouth toward the crock of my neck, his lips parting just slightly as if he was about to give me a kiss. I let out an intense scream as I felt his teeth pierce my skin.

**Edward's POV**

I watched Bella, my new bride, get in the elevator with Esme and Rosalie, knowing that in thirty minutes or so we would be leaving and getting ready to start a new journey in this life. I walked with Emmett, Jasper and Carlisle outside. Once we were outside and out of the view of humans, we quickly broke out in a run to check on the perimeter. We were about a ten miles away from the Lodge when I stopped in my tracks, Emmett flying right into my back and knocking me into the ground."

"Man, give us a warning next time," Emmett said holding out his hand.

"Shut up," I huffed as I pinched the bridge of my nose, concentrating on Alice's vision.

The pain, the screaming, even the smell seemed so real. I fell to the ground to my knees my body already racking with tearless sobs. When I saw the lips begin to trail along Bella's jaw, my head snapped up and I let out a deifying scream. I stood and ran at my fastest speed back to the Lodge thankful that it was now completely dark outside.

I could hear my family screaming at me in my head asking questions but my only thought and priority was Bella.

I raced up the stairs and came to a halt outside of Bella's room. The smell of the blood was like a slap in the face; never in life was there a smell so heavenly. I did not even bother with the key card and broke the handle off the door.

"Edward, I am so sorry I did not see it coming until it was happening," Alice said when I came into the room Bella lying in the bed.

"It hurts," Bella cried out.

Carlisle came up right behind me and quickly went into doctor mode. "Esme, go get me my bag."

"Alice what happened?" I asked sitting on the bed next to Bella I could see the blood around her legs.

"The baby is coming," Carlisle said after sticking her hand inside of her. "I would say she is about five centimeters."

"But there's more," Alice said her voice very quiet.

I watched as she moved Bella's long hair away from her neck.

I growled. "He bit her!"

Carlisle moved from his spot at the foot of the bed and up to Bella's neck. "It's too late, I need to get the baby out of her now!"

Carlisle turned and looked at me. _I'm sorry son, but I will need to do a C-section, before the venom travels to the womb._

I nodded my head.

"She is going to be okay," Alice said brushing Bella's hair from her face. "See, she's so peaceful."

"She's dying, Alice," That is when it hit me, Bella should be screaming in pain instead she is just lying there making small whimpering sounds. "Carlisle, get the baby out now!"

"Thirty seconds," Alice said.

I looked up and saw that the rest of my family already left the room and chances were they were out of the area for Bella's own well being.

I watched as Carlisle made a perfect incision in Bella's stomach just below her belly button. Bella squirmed but did not make any other reaction. Carlisle cut a little deeper. "I can see the legs."

With the speed of only a vampire he quickly pulled the baby out by the legs, tying off and cutting the cord. The baby did not make any sound. Bella began to scream, tossing and turning.

"Edward, hold her still, I need to close up the wound some," Carlisle handed the baby over to Alice who had a towel and began to clean the baby up.

"Um, Carlisle," Alice spoke. "It's too late."

I locked eyes with Alice and then turned my attention to Bella, her heart beat beginning to slow down. I knew that the venom was making its course and moving quickly. I glanced down to the huge cut in her stomach already beginning to see it start to heal.

"Too late for what?" Carlisle asked.

**A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews!! I know that this was a shorter chapter but figured that this will be a good place to stop!!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N - here you all go a little something! I also forgot to mention in the last chapter to check out my bio for pictures and links to Bella's wedding dress and the Lodge** **where the Cullens are staying! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and please don't hate me! You will see why?!**

**Chapter 18**

**Edward's POV:**

My eyes have been focusing on Bella's peaceful face. It unnerved me at how peaceful she was, even with the screams of pain every few minutes as the venom of a stranger seeped through her veins. I picked up her hand bringing it up to my face to memorize the feel of her warm soft skin against my cold hard layer.

My mind kept replaying the words that came out of Alice's mouth a few moments later, not paying any attention to her visions that have been changing drastically over the course of the hour but focusing on just the words that were spoken.

"It's too late, Carlisle," Alice said her voice sounding lost and even for her it was unsure sounding.

Carlisle quickly finished up stitching Bella's massive cut on her belly before turning his full attention to the baby even though it appeared to be a wasted effort as Bella already began to show signs of healing.

Carlisle looked up to Alice who was holding the baby in a towel trying to wipe the blood and the remainder of the placenta off of the little one. Still no sound came from the baby no matter how hard Alice massaged the chest and stuck her finger in the mouth to make sure it was clear. After one final wipe down of Bella's skin Carlisle stood up and went to take care of the child.

"What is it Carlisle?" I asked my voice short almost in pain.

Carlisle continued to clean the baby up and then gently patted the back. "She is going to be okay," he finally spoke when a small cry came out of her tiny mouth. "But I am not sure what to do."

He came over to me carrying Bella's little bundle of joy in his arms wrapped professionally in a hotel towel. He handed her to me mentally asking if I wanted to hold her but I was unsure. Right now my life, my being was already occupied for my love of my new bride that I did not know if I had room in there for someone else. Carlisle pulled the towel away slightly and I tilted my head to look when I heard it.

"Her heart beat, it isn't normal," I stated.

Carlisle nodded. "It is slow, much slower than that of any normal human baby."

My eyes flashed up to his at the choice of words that he used. "What do you mean any normal human? Both Bella and the baby are human, until that bastard decided to take a bite."

Carlisle nodded. "Exactly, Edward. They are both human, but I am sorry, I did not get the child out in time, I am afraid that she is changing herself."

"No!" Alice screamed and stomped her foot much like a two year old. "That is not what is going to happen, you'll see."

"See what, Alice?" I asked. "Was that what you meant that it was too late?"

Alice shook her pixie head her spiked hair moving in the opposite direction. "No, what I saw is that it is too late to save Bella and her child. Bella will become one of us, in three days, but the child, she will be different Edward, Carlisle got her out just in time for the venom to make its way completely through, but just enough to do something else."

I pinched the bridge of my nose frustration rolling off of me. "English please, Alice."

"I see her living the life of a vampire and a human; she is half of both worlds."

"An immortal child?" I asked as my eyes began to grow at all the dangers this will bring, especially when the Volturi find out.

"No," Carlisle spoke up. "Immortal children were turned as babies and toddlers, not as they were being born. Alice, I am confused as to what you think you are seeing and how she will be of both worlds."

"Listen Carlisle, what do you hear?" Both Carlisle and I tilted to listen more to the baby.

"A heartbeat?" I guessed.

"Exactly, she will always have a heartbeat, but she will also be half of what we are, you'll see," Alice nodded toward the baby that was squirming in Carlisle's arms. "See?"

Both Carlisle and I looked up to one another our eyes growing large. Just a few moments ago she was the average size baby, but currently she looked to be closer to that of a two month old already reaching her hands out into the air.

"She's hungry," I said.

"How do you know that?" Carlisle asked.

"I don't know her mind seems to be telling me but not in so many words, it's jumbled sounding."

I looked up to Alice to ask her to go shopping and find some milk and get diapers but before the words even left my mouth she held up her finger to stop me, her eyes beginning to glaze over as another vision came on.

"I'm on it, Edward and I will ask Esme and Rosalie to come with me," Alice danced from the room closing the doors behind me. "Oh, there should not be any more trouble from our new friend until after Bella wakes up, in two days, twelve hours and nine minutes."

Alice left Carlisle and I in the hotel room alone with the baby and Bella. Bella's breathing becoming slower and more ragged. Carlisle took out a syringe and put the point into the crook of her elbow. I looked at him confused.

"A little morphine, to help with some of the pain," he explained. "Even though it looks like she is not in much, I know that she is still fighting hard."

I picked up a cold cloth and wiped the sweat that was forming on her brow. The baby was sleeping peacefully in Carlisle's arms as he walked and rocked the child that continued to grow at an incredibly fast pace.

"What do you think this will mean, Carlisle?" I asked after a few moments of quiet.

Carlisle turned his attention to me. "I'm not sure I understand."

I looked toward the baby and then down to Bella. "She is going to be so mad at me for not being here, for not being able to save her and her child."

"Here," Carlisle held the towel wrapped baby out to me again. "Just hold her and look into her eyes and tell me what you see. "

I took hold of the small child, my hands shaking and for the first time I felt nervous knowing that with the slightest move I could crush her. I lowered the towel and looked into her eyes, chocolate brown just like Bella's and for a slight second they flickered and flashed.

"Something is wrong with her eyes," I said quietly as Carlisle came over to look over my shoulder. "There did you see that, they changed."

"It's a power," Alice said walking through the door with Esme and Rosalie hot on her heels carrying bags after bags more than likely buying out every business and small shop on Lake Tahoe. "Now, let us girls take care of the baby while you take care of your wife."

Esme came over and peered over the towel her motherly instincts already taking over. "Ohh, she is beautiful. May I?"

I nodded and handed her over to Esme who immediately began to hum and walk. "Please be sure to feed her, she is getting very hungry."

Esme shot me a look. "I do believe I know how to take care of a baby, don't fret, Edward."

I nodded my head as I watched my mother and sisters walk out the door Carlisle following saying something along the lines of wanting to hunt and check in with the boys. I stayed, sitting with Bella on the bed, constantly keeping the sweat beads away with a cold cloth. And I did not move until I was told that it was time to leave when Alice came in saying that Bella cannot be here around all the humans at the lodge when she wakes up.

"Jasper and Emmett are loading up the plane now, we leave in ten minutes," she said quietly kissing Bella on the cheek. "God, look at how beautiful she is going to be and she is only half way through the transformation."

I quickly helped Alice get Bella changed and carried her outside into the cool air that the lake provided with the deep covering of low clouds behind a full moon. In the distant I could hear the cry of a wolf and more thereafter.

"Is that…?" Alice asked.

"Yes," I nodded. "They've picked up a scent and are tracking it."

Emmett rubbed his hands together. "Dang it, I was really hoping to kill me some vamps, soon."

Alice's eyes glazed over as yet another vision took place. "Never fear, big brother, we will have a fight on our hands soon enough."

I looked into Alice's mind and cringed at the sight, a fight is on the horizon and Bella with her baby stuck in the middle.

I gently rubbed my lips across Bella's lips giving her a small kiss, vowing to never break a promise to keep her and our child safe.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

The plane ride back to Port Angles and then the drive to the house was smooth. Thankfully Bella appeared to be resting peacefully. It puzzled Carlisle on how still she was. Even though he gave her some morphine, he thought that she would still be screaming or shaking; something to let us know that the venom, _his_ venom flowing through my Angel who did not deserve this life. But then I look down at the small baby girl who was nuzzled in a soft pink blanket, her chocolate brown eyes with flecks of gold and red scattered through them and my chest aches even more so.

The thought that I brought all of this on. I put Bella in harm's way. I put her child in danger as well.

_Edward, stop!_ Alice scolded from the seat across from me. _You did not do anything; it was that monster that raped her and then the other monster that changed the rapist monster!_

I nodded slightly as I lowered my nose to inhale deeply of the scent that came from the baby. Even through all the baby shampoo, lotions and new clothes I could smell not only the new baby smell but also a little of Bella and the venom that slowly seeped through the baby. From watching her for the last several hours I could see how much the small child has changed as well as that of her mothers. The two of them were becoming more angular and the skin getting harder and cooler. The only big difference was that the small baby was not your average newborn; she appeared to be growing instead of the venom halting her age.

"Ouch," I said quietly as the small one put my finger she was holding into her mouth. I rotated my finger up and felt her gums noticing the row of teeth as well as how sharp they appeared to be. "Um, Carlisle, I think she's hungry.""That's impossible, Edward," Esme spoke up from the front passenger seat as we made our way through the rainy forest of Forks. "I fed her right before we boarded the plane, she should be fine for at least another hour."

I nodded. "Then let me rephrase. I think she might be thirsty," I said emphasizing the word _thirsty_.

I looked over to Alice became quiet and her eyes glazed over, a vision coming clearly coming through my mind as it was going through hers. I tried to hold in the groan at how all of this was my fault again.

"She appears to want blood, Carlisle," Alice said looking down at what Alice calls her new niece. "She is going to be able to digest both human food and our lifestyle."

Carlisle nodded his head in understanding. "Then I guess we will need to send Jasper and Emmett out to go hunt. Alice how long until Bella wakes up?"

I looked over to Alice as well as she focused on the question at hand. Her eyes popped op and her mouth dropped down. "We have visitors waiting for us at the house."

I growled as I held the baby and Bella closer to my body in protection. Carlisle reached for his cell phone to call Jasper who was following us in my Volvo. After Carlisle hung up the Volvo passed us, speeding quickly the rest of the way home. I could hear every bit of Rosalie's grotesque thoughts about what she was planning on doing to the demon that ruined Bella's life in more ways than one.

"Alice, how many visitors should we expect?" Esme asked quietly from the front seat.

"The number keeps changing which makes me think the wolves are involved as well," Alice said as we came closer to the house.

"Carlisle, you get Bella up the stairs and Esme will take the baby," I said as Carlisle turned into the drive slowing down his pace considerably. "Alice and I will keep an eye downstairs. I do not want a single person coming within a hundred feet of Bella."

Carlisle put the car into park and quickly had Bella in his arms as I handed of the child to Esme. I knew without a doubt that she would protect the two of them.

"We don't have much time Edward, Bella is going to be waking up in three hours," Alice hissed as she and I ran around the house to meet up with the rest of the family on the far side of the property.

"That's a whole day early," I murmured.

"We haven't found anyone," Jasper slid to a halt and wrapped Alice around her waist pulling her close. "But the wolves must not be too far away because the smell is all the way over here."

_I am going to kill him!_ I cocked my head a voice that was unfamiliar came through my head. I held up my finger to listen for more making my family quiet down.

"What is Edward?" Emmett asked.

"Shh," I hissed back and circled around the family trying to pick up the voice.

_The idiot could not even take a baby from a human, _a female voice said. _A human!_

I covered my ears at how loud her thoughts were.

_I guess a woman needs to go in to do a man's job._

I saw the front of our house go through her thoughts. I turned toward the direction of the house and hissed loudly. I immediately picked up speed; running back home when out of nowhere I ran into something hard and huge, crashing me into a heavy oak tree. I stood up crouched and ready for a fight, my siblings behind me crouching down as well.

The fur of six wolves stood up high on their backs, their minds jumbled together as one. I looked into the deep black eyes of the russet color wolf, recognizing his mind and pictures of Bella.

_Where's Bella?_ He spoke and all the wolves looked at me.

"She's safe," is all I said in return. "Now, if you excuse me."

I took a step to the right but the wolf stopped me in my tracks. _You broke the treaty._

"No treaty has been broken, I did not nor has anyone else in my family bite a human. She was biting by another vampire who, if you don't mind, we are trying to locate and I have a very good feeling that said vampire is on the way to my house to finish a job."

I watched as the wolf ran out of sight and a second later walked back out of the trees wearing nothing but a pair of ragged old shorts.

"Is she hurt?" Jacob Black asked in his human form.

"What does it matter to you?" Rosalie asked from behind me with her arms crossed.

"Look, Blondie, she is a friend of mine, if she is hurt I deserve to know."

I cast my eyes down knowing that we wasting time. "A newborn vampire changed Bella, the same person that raped her. The baby has been changed as well."

Jacob's darks eyes grew wide. "Where is this newborn?"

"We don't know, but a female is after the baby," Alice said. "You all are involved as well, my visions have been faulty which makes me believe that you step into my visions."

"Wait a minute," Jacob said turning to look at my pixie sister. "Visions?"

Alice sighed with impatience. "Yes, visions, I can see decisions that are made. And right now the decision of the female is going to the house. So we need to go."

Jacob looked behind him and nodded his head minutely to the rest of the pack who dispersed. "We will take parole around the parameters of the property. If you do not mind any extra help that is?"

"Why should we trust a dog?" Emmett asked.

"Because it looks like you will need more help and Edward there seems to have his hands tied. Bella's father is best friends my father, so if anything happens to Bella then chances are my dad is going to make me pay. We picked up a trial on the way out here of more your friends. How many did you say there were?"

"Four," Alice spoke.

Jacob shook his head. "I think you might want to take another head count fairy," Jacob said before walking into the tree line. "The strong was much more potent coming from the Seattle winds. I think one of your friends might have been busy."

I heard Jacob howl as he paws padded off into the dark forest and I turned to move toward the house.

"Do you think we can trust him?" Jasper asked as we flew through the front door.

I took in a huge breath smelling the air and the only thing I could smell was that of wet dog that was circling the tree line around our house.

"I don't know, but I have the feeling we do not have much of choice. The only thing that I do know is that Jacob Black at one time had a thing for Bella or still does. He is sincere about that. Alice did you see anything about the others that Jacob was referring to?"

Alice chewed on her lip as her eyes focused. "No, but that is not to say it is not happening."

Carlisle came down stairs while Rosalie and Alice went upstairs to help Esme. "Emmett, Jasper, you all need to go hunt for Bella and the baby. We will need to be prepared."

The two nodded their head and then started for the door. Emmett stopped abruptly to look at Carlisle when Jasper ran into him. Together they fell down to the floor. Emmett jumped to his feet and then turned his attention back to Carlisle.

"What do you mean for the baby?" Emmett asked. "I thought that they drank milk."

Carlisle nodded his head. "Usually you are correct, but this baby is special."

I groaned. "Can you two go and round up some deer or something?"

Once jasper and Emmett left I walked over to Carlisle and began to fill him in on the wolves. As well as letting him know that they have been tracking more than we at first intended. "The female is close though. I can her thoughts even though they are distant. I know that she is mad."

Carlisle nodded his head. "Apparently someone screwed up. I don't think who was in the room was there to bite Bella, he must have heard you coming."

"Not someone, Carlisle, it was Dean," I corrected. "And I can guarantee that he will pay for it."

My head snapped up to the stairwell. "Reneesme?"

"I'm sorry," Carlisle asked looking at me.

"The baby," I started. "I think that is the baby's name, or will be once Bella wakes up."

Carlisle's brow closed together in confusion. "How is it that you know the baby's name?"

I began to descend the stairs to confirm the thoughts that I keep hearing that were not anyone else's in the house. I stopped at the guest bedroom that Esme and Carlisle quickly put together. I put my hand on the knob, turning it gently.

"Reneesme?" I asked when walking in the room.

The one day old child was laying on the floor next to Rosalie already looking like a three month old, her head turned toward me with a toothy grin. Her eyes flickered oddly as if she recognized me and they also captivated me. I lowered down onto my knees and looked at her; very faintly I could see my face flash through her eyes. Followed quickly by Bella's face.

I heard Bella moan from the bed beginning to stir. "My baby…."


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**Third Person**

"You let her GO!" The red haired venomous creature screamed at the top of her lungs. The windows in the abandoned house began to shake and eventually shattered.

James paced back and forth blocking the front door as Laurent sat idly playing with a strand of his dread locks looking bored.

"I didn't want the kid," Dean said who was standing the middle of the small living room watching the red flames from the crackling fire.

Outside a small army of twenty or so newborn vampires were practicing with one another. The act of warfare was loud. Thankfully with the small coven and large army being in the middle of the Olympic Mountain Range and the constant thunderstorms that the area has been having that helped hide some of the noise. Then again with Victoria's new found rage, she will more than likely dismember a couple of the noise makers and throw them in the fire like she did a few hours earlier when Dean came back to the house empty handed.

Dean smirked at the last image. "What are you smiling at?" Victoria said flying at him.

"Just my parting gift that I left with Bella," Dean spoke not locking eyes with the red head.

Laurent sparked some interest and James stopped his pacing to look over to Dean.

"And what gift is that?" Victoria hissed.

"I bit her," Dean's face held a triumphant joy. "I created her, she's mine."

Victoria lifted her hand and slapped Dean hard across the face throwing him in to the wall. The old plaster and wood beams breaking and shattering on contact. Victoria pounced and was sitting on his legs to keep Dean from moving.

"You idiot," she hissed. "You bit a pregnant girl. You do know that she will forever be pregnant?"

Dean looked up to her with a smile that the devil himself would be proud of. "Not if they got the baby out in time, Bella was already going into labor when I left. I am sure that lover boy would do anything to save the child."

Victoria looked at Dean as a slow smile began to spread across her beautiful face. "So, where is the child now?"

Dean shrugged his shoulders. "Got me, but is that not what you have James for, why don't you send him out and find them. I did my job. I can say that Bella will be mine for eternity."

Laurent let out a small chuckle. "James, I seriously have no idea what was going through your mind when you picked this one up out of his drunken stupor." Laurent jumped from his chair and came to stand next to Victoria. "You will never have Bella, now that she is married and she is in the process of turning into a vampire, I can guarantee that her new family will not let you come within a ten thousand foot pole."

Victoria looked back and forth between the three men now in her life as her own plan began to develop in her mind.

"What are you thinking, love?' James whispered into her ear.

"How I will just need to send a woman in to do a man's job," Victoria reached out and snapped off Dean's head in one fluid motion and tossed it into the red flames, quickly turning purple as more Dean's body parts where added. "I never trusted him to get the job done to begin with."

Victoria stood up and dusted her hands off on her jeans walking outside tot eh open field in front of the house. She placed her fingers in her mouth and let out an ear piercing whistle. Quickly about twenty or so newborns came running and circling her, waiting for their instructions.

"Come, let's go hunt and have some fun," Victoria lead the trail of vampires over the mountains toward Seattle.

**Edward's POV:**

Fear began to creep through me. Alice has mentioned in a numerous visions that Bella should have been awake by now, but still she slept, her heartbeat getting slower and her sweet smell changing drastically.

"Edward you need to go hunt," Carlisle placed his hand on my shoulder as I shook my head. "Son, I will stay with Bella, please."

"And what if she wakes up?" I asked my eyes locked onto the slow motion of her chest rising up and down.

"Then we will call you."

Begrudgingly I stand up my legs tight from sitting next Bella for the last twenty-four hours. Ever since coming back from the encounters with the wolves I have not left Bella's side in fear of her not only waking up but that the vile woman that was after her will show up. I would never forgive myself for not being here to protect her, or her new child.

I walked slowly to the door looking back one last time as Carlisle held Bella's eye open to check for movement. Once I was out in the hall I ran down the stairs but was halted by the sounds coming from the television.

"The second body was found just a few blocks from the first," a female reporter had a large microphone. "Police are baffled at the lack of blood and trying to figure out the connections. This will be the seventh body in the last three days.

"Seattle, I am here to warn you that the police are saying that we have a serial killer or killers on our hands. Take precautions. This Sally Gibbons reporting."

"How long did she say the killings have been going on?" I asked stepping into the living room.

Alice looked up as did Jasper. "Three days, why?"

"The wolves mentioned that there has been more activity, that the scent has been strongest coming from the Seattle area," I reminded them. "Jasper, new born armies, rings any bells?"

Jasper narrowed his eyes to look at me and then cocked his head to read the paper that he was holding. "All the victims have the same markings on the neck or wrists, at first police and detectives thought they were suicides but after finding the first handful they began to question if it is done by the same one or two people. And here is a picture of the marks on one of the victims."

Jasper passed around the photo that was in the picture and we each studies it quickly before handing it off to the next person.

"Carlisle, I think you should come down here," I called up the stairs.

Within seconds Carlisle was standing next to and I handed the Seattle Times over to him. He scanned the article quickly. "Is that what I think it is?"

"If you are referring to the teeth marks in the jugular," Rosalie quipped. "Then yes."

My head snapped up to look at Alice as I saw the flashes of images spray through her mind, my stomach twisting at the sight of Victoria going on a killing spree through Seattle and making her way through the neighboring towns up to Fork.

The final image was Bella's face looking scared holding her daughter tight against her chest.

"How long Alice?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, since Bella has not even woken up yet and it should have happened by now," Alice spoke quietly. "I can't get a clear time frame."

"Why do you think that is?" Jasper asked rubbing circles around his lower back looking up toward Carlisle for an answer.

"Um, guys," Emmett said looking out the window. "I think we are about to have a bigger problem."

All of us walked over to the windows and saw the police cruiser turn of the street and onto our long driveway.

"What's Charlie doing here?" Rosalie asked.

"He's concerned about Bella, he thought that she would have called to let him know that she was alright and where we went for a honeymoon," I said after reading his thoughts.

"Esme," Carlisle called up the stairs. "Can you bring down the baby, Charlie is here."

A few moments later Esme came down with a pink bundle perfectly dressed thanks to Alice.

"Okay, here is the game plan," Carlisle stated as he began to fill us in on what our roles will be.

Carlisle greeted Charlie heading him off just as he was getting out of the cruise. I made my way up the stairs to my room where Bella was still sleeping. Thankfully she has not been showing much sign of pain anymore, but many of her features have already changed. Her nose and chin much more angular and even though Bella has always been pale, she was slightly more pale. On the last look of her eyes a few moments earlier when Carlisle had the lids open they were already turning a deep crimson color. AS long as she did not wake up, the plan was to say that she lapsed into a coma after having an emergency c-section.

"If we can get Charlie in and out quickly, the plan will work perfectly", Alice mentioned as soon as Carlisle began to speak. "But if he lingers, he will begin to think something is up. And it will all depend on you, Edward."

Now as I sit on the side of the bed holding Bella's hand listening to the conversations float up to me, paying the most attention to Charlie's thoughts than his words I kept humming Bella's lullaby. I missed her and it pained me that she has been in this state of pain for so long, but it was odd at the same time. Not once since the bastard bit Bella has she moaned, moved or even screamed out in pain. Any human that came in and saw her would have either thought she was sleeping or actually in a coma. There have been times that I sat here with Bella thinking my dead heart was tearing into two, that slowly I was losing her and we never even had a chance to truly explore our relationship. At least not on a level that either one of us wanted.

_She's so big._ Charlie's footsteps sounded on the hardwood floors downstairs as he crossed over to where Esme was holding the little girl that thankfully named herself. Carlisle was guessing that Bella must have been calling the baby by name or picking names out rather recently and since babies can hear and recognize sounds early on in the womb, then this genius of child must of picked the name that she liked.

"Ohh, look at you," Charlie cooed. "When did Bella have the baby?"

"The night of the wedding," Carlisle spoke. "Charlie, I think you should sit down."

I could see the living room in Charlie's mind as mentally looked around naming off the ones in his head. "Where are Bella and Edward?" _Please, God tell me she is okay._

I had to choke down a dry sob as the pain my chest increased at how I wished I could go to Charlie and tell him that his daughter is alright, but I knew that would never be the case, nor would he probably ever see his daughter and granddaughter again.

"Charlie," Alice said in a voice that sounded like a bell. "Can I get you something to drink?"

Charlie nodded. "Some water would be nice, thank you."

"Charlie, there were some complications," Carlisle started off and I grimaced at all the images at how bad the complications could have been in Charlie's head. "I had to perform and emergency C-section on Bella at the hotel. Her water broke just as soon as my daughters and wife helped her up to her room to change. By the time that I got to her I and checked her I could tell that the baby was breech and it felt like the cord was wrapped around her neck. Edward authorized for me to do whatever I had t needed to do to save the baby and Bella."

"Bella?" Charlie asked.

"She lost a lot of blood," Carlisle said in a low voice. "I'm sorry Charlie. I got the baby out quickly and as soon as we could we transported her back here and she has been in a coma ever since. Going close to four days."

I could hear Charlie let out a sigh of relief. "She's not dead. People wake up from coma's all the time, right, Doctor Cullen."

I could hear his please for reassurance as well as Carlisle's thoughts on how this time will be different.

"I'm not sure when Bella will recover," Carlisle stated.

"And Edward, where is he?"

Esme let out a small choked cry, playing the human charade perfectly. "He has actually not left Bella's side. He has been refusing to eat, the only time we see him is when one of us goes in to check on Bella."

"What about the baby?" Charlie asked and I watched as the baby face's flashed through his mind, her tiny fingers curled around his ring finger. "I don't know if I can take care of a baby."

"Edward loves Bella and her child. He would give the baby the world," a sad tone in Esme's voice. "Our whole family has quickly become attached to her. You do not need to worry about Reneesme, she is being taken care of and we will continue to."

"Reneesme?" Charlie questioned. "Is that what Bella named the baby?"

"We are not for certain," Alice said. "Edward and Carlisle hear Bella mumble the name a few times so we are assuming at this point."

Charlie nodded his head. "Can I see her? I just need to let her know that I am here."

Carlisle nodded._ Edward is it safe to come up? _ "Yes," I said in a low voice that I knew my family would be able to hear.

"Charlie, come with me, I will show to Bella's room," Esme and Charlie stood.

I took in a deep breath knowing that it will be just a matter of minutes before Esme would knock and she would enter the room with Charlie. I lowered my head and rested it on the bed pretending to be a sleep.

"Edward?" Esme said quietly tapping the door and opening it. "Charlie is here."

I straightened up and rubbed the "sleep" out of my eyes. I walked over to Charlie. "I'm so sorry."

Charlie forced a smile as he looked over to beautiful angel asleep on the bed. "For what, son. You did not do anything wrong. It was time for the baby to come and make her grand entrance, you can't foresee complications."

Charlie walked closer to the bed and sat down in the chair that I occupied just a few minutes ago. He placed her hand into his. "She seems so peaceful, but her hand is cold, almost like ice."

"It's because of her blood lose and the lack of proper circulation," I explained. "Alice and Rosalie have been doing great with giving her messages to keep the blood moving."

I could hear Rosalie laughing. _Good one, Edward!_

For the next thirty minutes Charlie sat with Bella and I left the room to go outside with jasper who was having a hard time with all the emotions rolling of him and then add my array of feelings it was like a semi-truck plowing forward and running Jasper over, so he said.

When Charlie was getting ready to leave I walked with him to his cruiser. He made me promise to keep him up to date on Bella's condition. And then he did the one thing that I truly was not prepared for. He took a step forward and opened his arms. I actually collapsed into them and returned his hug. I could feel and smell the salty tears run down his cheeks. It was in that moment that if I could cry I would have flooded the area.

"You take care of her and my granddaughter like your life depended on it," he whispered into my ear. "She and that child need you more now than they will ever need you in the future."

"I will sir," I said and I could hear my family's thoughts of agreements.

**A/N: I hope that you all have a wonderful New Years! Thank you all for the great reviews and I think that this chapter helped answer a few questions. Many have also stated how they are enjoying the fact that I am throwing in parts of the entire Twilight Saga. Remember to review!! **


	21. Chapter 21

**So many apologies for my lack of update and to make up for, here is a nice long chapter!!**

**Chapter 21**

**Edward's POV**

I let out a heavy breath that I did not even realize I was holding in as I watched Chief Swan, my new father-in-law, my Angels' own flesh and blood drive away. I never had so much of a heavy heart as I did in that moment. I made a vow to Bella to protect her, to love her through sickness and in health until death do us apart and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that if something were to happen to her I would soon follow behind her and find ways to get me out of this miserable existence. The way I saw it, my life would not be worth living if Bella was not here.

But now the wheels have been turned drastically, not only did I just promise to take care of Charlie's only daughter, I vowed to protect his only grand-daughter. My head snapped up to the high window on the second floor where I could see Esme pacing the room bouncing the baby in her arms trying to sooth her. She has been crying uncontrollably for the last several minutes. Esme has already tried giving her a bottle of milk as well as fresh blood from a bear that Emmett went and caught before Charlie showed up. As far as any of the women in the house and Carlisle could tell there was nothing wrong with her. But one thought kept lingering in Esme's mind.

Esme stopped in front of the window and looked down at me, her beautiful golden eyes glaring brightly in from the small peek of light that was trying hard to break through the clouds. _She needs her mother, Edward. She needs you, too._

I shook my head slowly. I could not, nor did I like the idea of Renesmee being up in Bella's room. If she were to wake up in that one moment that Bella's daughter was in there and smelled her blood, I knew for a fact that we may not be able to control what would happen next.

_She will be fine, Edward. _Alice's thought. _I think Bella knowing her daughter is nearby might wake her. I think it could be worth a try. We will all be there and if by some miracle Bella does wake up, then Esme and I will get the child as far away as possible and quickly._

I clenched and unclenched my fists, I did not like the idea but I could see the reasoning behind it. I turned and walked back into the house where I was met with the loud screams of Renesmee. I walked over to Esme who met me at the bottom of the stairs, she handed her over to me. I let my face settle into the small curls on her perfectly shaped head, inhaling deeply the scent that reminded me so much of Bella. I knew immediately that I might regret this decision.

"We can't do this," I said matter of fact. "Have any of you actually smelled her, she is like inhaling the most precious bouquet of roses."

"I know how well she smells," Jasper stood quietly in one of the corners of the foyer, keeping his distance. "Which I think might be what will wake Bella up; the smell of her blood can easily wake the dead, or at least our kind of dead."

I grimaced slightly at his word choice. "Don't any of you think it would be better to try and figure out what is going on in Seattle first? As long as Bella is still asleep, she will be easier to protect."

_You are beginning to make excuses, Edward,_ Alice shouts out in my head.

"Well, do you blame me? I feel like I am literally walking Bella's baby girl into the mouth of a lion," I rebuked her.

"And that Lioness up stairs will love her lamb, much like how the lion already fell in love with his lamb a few months back," my pixie sister said with her arms across her chest and then she pointed to her head. "I know that she won't wake up, or at least not with Renesmee in the room. But something will be coming to provoke her to wake."

I cocked my head trying hard to break through the recital of the _Oxford English Dictionary_, I growled in frustration. "Alice, stop, if something is coming to provoke Bella or anyone in this family, we need to know."

Alice shook her head. "Not now you don't," she walked over to me and picked Renesmee out of my arms. "If you are not comfortable to have Bella see her daughter, then you can stay here."

I watched in a dumbfounded silence as Alice ran up the three flights of stairs with Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme following hot on her heels. The door opens silently as I closed my eyes praying that nothing terrible will happen.

After a few seconds and all were still calm I turn my attention to Jasper. "What is your wife hiding, Jasper? What is going to be happening to provoke Bella to wake up? Is it this Newborn army? Something bigger?"

Jasper locked eyes with me. "I am not the one that can read minds, Edward, but I do know that whatever is going to happen, she is worried, or scared, or both. We are all involved and it more than likely does not just affect Bella anymore. It will involve all of us."

Emmett stepped in between Jasper and I, putting his hands up in the air. "Okay they two of you are beginning to freak me out, should we be preparing for a fight?"

I looked over to Jasper and back to Emmett. "Something that Alice said before boarding the plane from Tahoe, she mentioned something huge on the horizon. I am beginning to wonder if this huge event is closer than it really is and Alice is trying her damndest to protect us from knowing the truth."

We backed away from the stairs when we all heard the door open to my bedroom and a few moments later Alice was standing next to Jasper with the child in her arms, a gloating expression on her face. "See, Edward, nothing bad happened. If anything, Bella seems to be smiling slightly."

I rolled my eyes. "I think I am going to go hunt, since I was interrupted early with the news, then Charlie and now this stunt to try and wake Bella up," I backed away from my family at a slow pace until I reached the front door.

Twilight was approaching, another day gone and another night about to begin. I caught whiff of a deer within seconds and chased after her, realizing it was not much of a fight trying to catch it. I wanted more, something that would make the hunt more fun. My head snapped up when I heard a branch snap off in the distance behind me. I stood, running my hand over my mouth to wipe off the small bit of blood and then aimed myself in the direction of the sound. Instinct took over as I collided with a large beast that smelled of wet dog. I crouched in defense as the mutt in front of me growled but at the same time his mind was begging me to not fight.

"Who are you?" I asked realizing it was not Jacob.

_Seth, Jacob sent me to find you, he said that the vampire smell that we picked up is heading in this direction and that he thinks it could be as early as tomorrow._

"Why didn't Jacob come himself?"

_He did, he is actually patrolling the woods around your house. When you didn't answer his howls, he asked me to come search for you._

I nodded and then walked over to the small pup that I noticed was now limping. "Come on; let's see if Carlisle can get you patched up."

_Is she awake yet?_

I knew exactly who Seth was talking about and shook my head. "No."

_Does this transforming thing usually take this long?_

"No, usually three days, give or take," I said quietly.

For the remainder of our run back to my house we were quiet, I think that neither one of us really knew what to say. For some strange reason the wolves and my family have formed a bond, become Allies, for whatever reason and if I had to guess only Alice would know, we needed each other. I also could not help but wonder if the reason for the strange tie was due to Bella and her newborn.

Alice was the first to greet us at the door, her hands thrown up in the air in relief. "Finally, when I couldn't see you I thought something might have happened. But now I know why." Her nose was curled up in disgust.

Off in the distant I could hear Jacob howling. Seth looked up to me and nodded my head to let him go find his leader. He was not gone long enough for me to begin to fill the rest of the family in before Jacob came running out of the woods in a pair of ragged jean shorts and no shirt.

"Good your back," he said breathlessly. "You're in big trouble. And I think that you are going to need our help to fix it."

My family all stood out on the front porch, minus Bella, Esme and Renesmee.

Rose looked over to Seth who was still in his wolf form and Jacob. "Please do not tell me that some puppy is going to be able to help us? And when did the dogs become our friends?"

Jacob took a step closer. "Blondie, from the way I see it and from what I heard - we are probably the only friends that you've got."

"Tell us what is going on," Carlisle spoke up and then saw that Seth was limping and went over to look at his leg. "The bone is broke and is already healing, can you shift? It will be easier to re-set it."

Seth looked over to Jacob who nodded. A couple of minutes later Seth walked out of the woods with his left leg angled oddly. Carlisle took him inside and re-fractured his leg and setting it so that it would heal properly while the rest of the family either looked bored or had their noses stuck in the air like they smelled something bad.

"Okay, now back to the problem at hand," Carlisle said sitting down on the front step.

"I was able to pick up on some of the conversation, it appears that this vampire, a female, who is the leader I guess has plans on stealing Bella's baby. But she has also sent some of her friends to warn others."

"The Volturi?" Jasper asked.

Jacob shrugged. "I don't know, she never said any names. All she did say was that she was going to be having her baby one way or another and she did not care who she needed to kill to get to it."

"How many were with her?" Jasper asked this time beginning to pace.

"I would say at least a couple of dozen. What do we do?"

All of us looked over to Carlisle. "We don't do anything until we know exactly what is going on. But I have the feeling that we may need to prepare for a possible war. Because I can guarantee that she will have one hell of a fight on her hands if she thinks she is going to waltz in and take Bella or Renesmee."

Jacob smiled and he reminded me of Emmett in an odd way, ready to fight. "I will let the pack know to do extra patrols and I will report if there is any change."

He and Seth ran off into the woods. I looked up toward the window that was now mine and Bella's room, wishing that she would wake up so I would not have to worry about being here to protect her and Renesmee and plus worrying about my family. They were going to need me.

**Thank you for reading and for all teh alerts and reviews, I promise I will not go so long between updates. I have been working hard to finish editing my first novel which is currentlly coming close to 100k words and about 300+ pages.**

**  
If you are looking for some great stories to read check out 'Have a little Faith' by CSI-Girl1 which I am beta'ing!  
**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

**Bella's POV**

"Bella," the voice of an angle spoke quietly in my ear. "Please, wake up, Renesseme, needs you."

Deep inside me I could feel that I wanted to say something, reach out to my angel, but something was holding me back. Why did it feel like I was drifting away from him and not forward?

A brush of warm skin moved along my cheek. Wait, warm? This isn't right. My Edward's hands were cold, hard; much like marble. This is wrong, all wrong.

My eyes wanted to flutter open. My mouth wanted to speak. I wanted to reach out and touch Edward, let him know that I was okay.

_Think Bella,_ I muse to myself. _What did I miss? What happened?_

My mind began to drift back to that night. The night that my whole life changed.

It was dark that night. The party was like any other party. Especially this year, the football team was good. Actually they were great. I knew that I should have left early, with midterms just around the corner I needed to study. But Dean said to stay.

"She's moving," a pixie-like voice spoke but it seemed so far away.

"It is like she is remembering something," _ahh, there is the voice of my angel_. "Alice do you think that your vision will be correct this time? After almost a month, I am beginning to lose faith in your visions."

_Wait?! What?! Almost a month? What all did I miss in a month? Think Bella._

"Do you think she remembers her baby?" Alice said quietly as I felt the slight breeze coming from my right. I knew that she was moving closer to where I was.

"She knows who her baby is," Edward let out a heavy sigh. "I can tell every time that Renesseme comes up to sit with Bella. And then in Renessme's eyes, that child knows more than she lets on, that is for sure."

_Baby. _I try to swallow the lump that should be rising in the back of my throat. I should also be fighting tears from falling. That night at Dean's, as terrible as it was, I would never have changed the fact that I was to be having a child. I could sense that she was special even in while I felt her growing inside me. It was a choice I had to make. Right or wrong.

And now I think that I might have made a wrong choice if I am not able to even move and hold my baby. My special child that seems to have incredible gifts. But why can't I?

"You know that this could change everything that we have believed to be true about transformations?" Alice spoke quietly, her voice still ringing like a bell.

"What do you mean?" Edward's warm hand brushed a piece of hair out of my face.

"Look at her, Edward," I could almost see Edward staring down at me. "She is so peaceful. Relaxed. What if the hormones from the pregnancy played a difference in how she transformed. The same hormones that are keeping her asleep right now."

_Transformation? Was I turning into a vampire? But why a month? I thought Edward said it takes just days, not weeks._

_Think, Bella what happened? I need to remember? _ _I need to wake up. I need to be with my baby. I need to be with Edward. _

But I am just so tired. I am tired of making wrong decisions that affect so many others. It might be better for everyone if I just give up. Let Edward worry only about Renesseme, she needs the protection more that I.

"No!" Edwards screams out so loudly that I could hear the windows shatter. The bed shifted as if someone was trying to pick me up and carry me. "Rose, get Renesseme! We have visitors!"

**I want to thank everyone for the reviews. I have been having terrible writers block. And as you can tell by this chapter it is not the greatest! I have had a terrible summer with a house fire, computer crashes and more. I am hoping that I can get my creative juices flowing again. Thank you to all of you for sticking with me. And I hoped that you enjoyed the short chapter.**


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: So, I am a terrible person at leaving everyone hanging and I am not even going to bother with excuses. Since it has been a while, here is a recap: Bella was raped; she left AZ to go live her dad in Forks. She meets the Cullens and falls in love with Edward. Edward knows of her pregnancy. They get married. On the night of their honeymoon, Bella is bitten by the rapist, who was turned by Victoria. Victoria is after Bella's baby. For unknown reasons Bella's transformation has been going on for a month. Victoria's army is gathering. There will be references to all four books in the Saga.

**Chapter 23**

**Edward's POV**

I picked Bella up and ran down stairs. Rosalie was right on my heels with Renesmee. I could already tell by the number of voices in my head that we had at least twenty or so visitors just a mile or so from the house.

"What are we looking at Alice?" Carlisle asked as he faced the front door.

"Twenty-five I think," Alice stammered out. "But I really can't tell. The wolves must be out there."

I nodded my head in agreement. "They are I can hear Jacob giving orders. They have already begun to kill a number of them."

I could hear the knurling, the teeth crashing, and the granite breaking. It wasn't fair for the wolves to be risking their lives like this for us. I knew that Jasper and Emmett were ready and anxious to go out and help. They looked at me a couple of times asking for permission but each time I held them back. I knew there was no way that Rosalie and I could take of Bella and the baby and fight at the same time.

"Emmett, the back door, in the kitchen," Alice said quickly.

Emmett ran out of the living room and moments later we all could see the blue flames right outside the windows.

Just as Emmett came back the front door was broken to shreds. A violent red haired woman with desperate eyes stood looking at us. Her eyes darting back and forth between Bella in my arms and the baby next to.

"I just want the kid," she snarled. "No harm, no foul and I will be gone."

"Over my dead body," Rosalie hissed as she pulled the infant closer to her.

My family circled in front of Rosalie and me to protect us. With each step the woman took, the tighter my family closed in.

I looked down in my arms when I began to feel Bella moving. Her hands went up to her head, much like when you wake up from a very deep sleep and begun to rub her temples. Her eyes lids lifted slowly, the redness of her eyes evident. She took in a deep breath and all of a sudden she jumped out of my arms and into a crouch.

"Bella?" I said softly. "It's okay."

I took a step toward her holding out my hand. She crouched down deeper, a snarl escaping her lips.

"Oh, goody, Mommy's awake," the red head hissed.

Bella turned to face the taunting voice, her teeth pulled back. I took a step toward her when Alice put a hand on my shoulder.

"No, Edward."

The red head lunged at Bella. Bella met her in mid air with a crash that shook our windows.

"We need to get out there and help the wolves," Alice said quickly before exiting out the front door.

And just like that everyone was gone. They left me with a very awake newborn, the pissed off red head, Rose and a baby. But as quickly as they left, Bella had already dissected the red head.

A few seconds later it was quiet outside. The smell of smoke was heavy in the air. I could hear the wolves' heavy breathing as they began to descend back to the reservation. Bella was still crouched and circling what was left of the vampire. I took a hesitant step forward.

"Bella, we need to burn the pieces," I said picking up an arm and tossing it to the fire place where Jasper already had a fire going.

"Bella, how do you feel?" Carlisle asked while I continued to pick up piece after piece, her eyes never leaving me.

"Give her a moment, Carlisle," Alice asked just as she was running up the stairs and back within the same second.

She placed a mirror in front of Bella. Her hands went straight to her blood red eyes as fear crossed her face. She pulled at her long mahogany hair and ran a finger over her deep red, pouty lips.

"What happened to me?" she whispered as her eyes grew at the sound of her voice.

Renesmee began to stir in Rosalie's arms. Bella turned to look at her. Jasper and Emmett both moved closer to protect the child. Bella took a small step forward. I put a hand on her arm to stop her. She twisted her head and growled.

We all watched in a stunned silence as Bella crossed the room, her eyes never leaving the child's. Renesmee, already at a month old, looked to be closer to a six month old.

"My baby?" Bella's whimsical voiced sounded through the quiet room.

Rosalie nodded her head. Bella reached up and the baby immediately held her chubby arms out to her mother.

Bella held the child closer to her inhaling deeply.

"_Something's wrong Edward, this isn't right," _Jasper's voice was loud and clear in my head. I nodded briefly.

Bella began to walk around the room with the baby in her arms, talking softly.

"What is she thinking?" Carlisle asked me.

"I can't read Bella's mind," I said hoping that after she became a vampire I would be able to get a look at what really went on inside her head. "But Renesmee is happy."

"Bella," Carlisle took a step closer. "How are you feeling?"

Bella turned to look at Carlisle. "I feel fine, why?"

"Are you thirsty?" Jasper asked.

Bella chewed on her lip like she was thinking. "No, not really."

Bella's eyes seemed to roll back in her head and her arms begun to go lip. I moved quickly to catch the child and Bella.

Emmett's booming voice echoed throughout the marble flooring. "She fainted!"

Carlisle was on the other side of her. "She's weak."

Rosalie came and took Rosalie out of my arms as I picked up Bella and carried her to the couch.

"Emmett, Jasper, we need some blood, go see what you can find in the woods quickly," Carlisle said as he opened her eyes looked at them. "This is strange, the white of eyes are turning yellow."

"How can her kidneys be failing?" I asked.

Carlisle's mind went blank. "Like I said, she's weak."

"Will she be okay?" Esme asked concerned.

I looked over to Alice whose eyes were vacant. "She'll be fine. Carlisle will be bottle feeding Bella to get the fluid in her. She'll be different than any other vampire we have ever known though."

"Different how?" I asked while trying to see into her mind. The only thing I was able to make out though was the Chinese alphabet backwards.

And so I waited again for my Bella to wake up. Trusting on Alice that she will be okay and that she will be different. Carlisle and I took turns feeding Bella. Little by little she began to stir. Her eyes even began to change color from the bright blood red to a not so monstrous color. I never moved from the spot on the floor next to the couch. My fingers running small circles on her hands as I hummed her lullaby.

"Edward," Esme said quietly from behind me. "We're going to go out hunting; Rosalie needs to feed as well. Will you be okay alone?"

I nodded my head. "Go and maybe I will go as soon as you get back."

Esme came up and put a hand on my shoulder. "I'll be back shortly."

Rosalie put Renesmee in the small bouncy thing chair that Alice bought. She was still asleep and I knew from her other nights that she will sleep for another few hours.

"Bella, your baby is here," I whispered. "She loves you. I love you."

I bent down and kissed Bella's ruby red lips. "She needs you. I need you."

The hand that I was holding squeezed softly. Barely even a noticeable. Her head began to turn and her eyes looked up at me.

"Edward," she breathed. "What happened?"

I knew it was going to pain me for what would be coming out of my mouth next. "Bella, I'm sorry, but you're a vampire. You were bit and your baby; we didn't get her out in time."

I reached over and picked up Renesmee. Bella's eyes were as big as saucers.

"How long was I sleep?" She asked taking in the baby's much older appearance.

"Five weeks."

"Why is she so big?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "We're not sure. Carlisle thinks it has to do with her still being part human. Bella, how's your throat felling?"

Bella swallowed slightly and I could see the hint of pain in her eyes. "It burns a little."

I nodded. "It's because you're thirsty. We need to go hunting as soon as we can."

I put Renesmee into Bella arms and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Bella asked with fear.

"I'm going to get Jacob. He can stay with Renesmee while we go hunting."

Bella's brow moved in confusion. "My friend, Jacob. Why would he watch her?"

I tried to hide my smile. "She's safe with him, in more ways than one."


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: I want to thank everyone that has been reading, both new and old; I was surprised that there is still an interest in this. This chapter is more of a recap chapter and will be relatively short. Hope that you all enjoy it!**

**Chapter 24**

**Bella's POV**

I sat on the couch and looked up at Edward like he had gone mad. My eyes blinked to see if it was all a joke. I shook my head a couple of times but nothing changed. We have been sitting here for what seemed like days as the Cullen's told me everything that has happened since the wedding. None of which I remembered. And the more I thought about it, the less I remembered about why I moved to Forks, Charlie, the wedding, mom – everything seemed to be a fading photograph.

I swallowed back the sting that was in the back of my throat. They kept insisting that I needed to go hunt but the thought of drinking blood repulsed me. My stomach even churned just thinking about it. Jasper kept a critical eye on me the entire time from a safe distance on the other side of the living room. He looked like he was ready to pounce me. If he was using his power, it looked like it hurt.

"Okay, so let's see if I got this straight," I said looking at everyone in my new family. "I was raped, pregnant, moved to Forks to be with my dad. I met Edward and we fell in love, got married. On the honeymoon…"

"We never made it to a honeymoon," Edward interrupted a look of sorrow passed over his face.

It puzzled me on why he would be sorry or mad for not being able to take me on a honeymoon. I pushed it to the back of my mind, anxious to keep going with the facts that I knew. I nodded to let him know I heard and understood him.

"Dean, who was the Captain of the football team from my old school, raped me at a party," the more I kept thinking the more the pictures were not as fuzzy. "I remembered holding the pregnancy test and my mom, Renee, walked in and found it. She and I were not on the best of terms since she married Phil. Immediately she wanted me to get an abortion, but instead I ran here to be with my dad."

The empty hole in my chest began to feel even emptier when I thought about my dad opening the door and seeing me for the first times in years. He opened his arms to me and welcomed me. No thoughts, no explanations. I let out a deep breath and my throat burned a little more. My eyes jumped to Jasper when I sensed him shift.

"She's fine," Alice said quietly and placed a hand on Jasper's arm.

"Eventually, Edward took a liking to me. And I found out he was a vampire as well as the rest of you. Alice, can see the future. Jasper, you can make us feel things. And Edward can read minds."

"Not your," he reminded me.

"Except for me. Dean, somehow was turned into a vampire and these other vampires wanted my unborn baby. Dean came after the wedding and bit me. I remember the baby coming at the same time. My dad's best friend's son is a werewolf and there is a whole pack of them running around. Did I get everything?"

I watched each of them nod their heads slowly.

"That seems to be a good Cliff Notes version," Rosalie said quietly.

"But what I don't understand is why the wolves are still here, how I killed another vampire, and what happened to my daughter."

I looked down to the child in my hands who seemed to have grown months in a matter of minutes.

"Well, the wolves have helped us and we have helped them," Carlisle spoke up. "They are hanging around to help keep an eye on you. Renessmee is growing quickly because of the small amount of venom that did get into her system at least that's my theory. There is no way of really knowing. I never seen anyone like her or have heard of anyone like her. She isn't venomous, so no need to worry about her changing anyone else. And as far as the vampire. Your new and strong. Your instincts took over to protect yourself and the child."

I nodded. It made sense in some strange, twisted way. What other reason is there. "How do you know that she isn't venomous? All of you have can't be bitten twice."

They each looked at one another like they were hiding a secret. Edward took a breath and reached out for my hand which I gave voluntarily.

"Bella, how much do you know about Jacob and his beliefs?"

I thought back as much as I can about my memories of him, which wasn't much. Never spent much time with him when I moved up here. "Not much, why?"

"Well, the wolves' belief in something called imprinting. A love at first sight sort of thing. They are gravitated to each other. Not sure how it works really, all I know is the imprinter cannot live without the imprintee. He is whatever the other person needs at the time. Rather it be a brother, a friend, or a lover."

My eyes looked at him. The lids felt like they were falling back into my smooth forehead. "Are you telling me he loves me?"

I looked up when I hear Rosalie snick. "If only!"

Edward shook his head and growled.

"If not me, then who…"

Everyone seemed to have looked down at the baby who was sleeping in my arms. "My baby?!"

That burn in my throat was stronger now. The need to rip something apart was on the top of my list. My baby, who was only a few weeks old, was already destined to marry a wolf.

"How does that work, a half human, half vampire and a werewolf?"

I could tell no one had any answers. And I could tell that we may never have any answers. Not for a while anyways.

I sat still taking in this new information. Letting it all sink in. It could have been worse I guess. I could have had Renessmee grow up and fall in love with someone I totally hated. The age difference is what's odd.

"He's so old for her," I mused quietly.

"Well, actually, Jacob won't age anymore. As long as he keeps phasing, he will always look like he does," Carlisle said.

"Oh, but my baby?"

"She should eventually stop growing. At the rate she is growing, I would think that by the time she is 6 or so, she will be like a 16 year old. Maybe not emotionally or intellectually, but physically."

I realized in that moment that not only was I in new territory but so was the rest of them.

"So what next?" I asked.

Everyone looked at each other and I could tell that no one had an answer.

"We live forever," Edward said and planted a kiss on my forehead and then on Renessmee's.

"Forever," I mused.

I came here in hopes of making a wrong choice into a right decision. Things had an odd way of playing out.

**A/N: Thank you all for reading and I am letting you know that this will be the final chapter. I have been working on a Jake and Nessie story which will spin off from this. Not sure when I will put it up. But as of right now. Right or Wrong is over.**


End file.
